Evening Satirist
by pyxie
Summary: Dean is living a legitimately normal life in Seattle. Castiel is...not normal. He's an Angel who hunts any supernatural creature in the area. They're neighbours and enjoy each others' presences after hours. It starts with wine and brioche and progresses to something more. Rated M for later chapters. Also, there are wings. Night Vale crossover in a later chapter. AU Dean/Cas
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Okay everybody. This is my new story. Our fearless leaders are destroying my feels and so is _I Wish Circumstances Were Different_, so I decided to write something kind of happy. I can't imagine one of them not being hunters, but I wondered what it would be like if Dean didn't know anything about the supernatural world. This story is like...90% fluff. I write it when I'm sad. And also, I like stories when two people fall in love and then just...never say anything about it for, like, ever, so yeah. Enjoy 3_

ONE

Dean plops himself down on his sofa and stares at his television for a long period of time. Work sucks, Sammy sucks, accounting sucks, everything sucks. After a while, he pulls his tie off and tosses it to the ground, soon after his sport coat follows.

It's a clear night and it's beautiful. If only he didn't have to spend the night working until some late hours of the night for his fucking job, then he could actually enjoy it. Now, this fucking sucks. All he wants is to just relax. But, nope, sixty hours a week are spent either at the office of doing paperwork at home. And tonight really is no different. Ten o'clock at night and he's just getting home.

Fuck it. He's going to enjoy something whether his job allows it or not. He has a thin balcony and he climbs out onto it and breathes. The sound of the city below rushes past. Eight stories up. He leans his elbows against the railing and let's the wind brush through his fingers.

"Don't you look up at the stars and think about what it would be like to be up there?" There's a voice that pipes up and Dean looks over to his left. There, his neighbour, bright blue eyes and wind tousled hair. Dean blinks.

"No." The answer comes out must faster than he had intended. "No, I, uh, I fear the empty airways."

"Altophobia, Mr. Winchester?" The man takes a drag of his cigarette and smiles at Dean.

"How do you know my name?"

"Oh, come now, the mailman mixes up our mail all the time." And then as an afterthought. "Probably because I never called him back…" He clears his throat. "I'm Castiel."

"No last name?" Dean raises his eyebrows.

"How about some wine? Is your door open?" Castiel waves his hand. "Eh, no matter. I'll there in a sec." With that, he flicks his cigarette into the street and walks back into his house. In less than a minute, he's on the balcony with Dean, two wine glasses in hand and a bottle of 1999 red wine. "Let's pop this baby open."

"Whoa! This is an old bottle." Dean shakes his head. He can't even think of drinking this. Usually all he drinks is shit beer and cheap scotch.

"It's the newest I own. Don't flatter yourself." Castiel sets the glasses down and opens the bottle with a corkscrew that seemed to pop out of nowhere. "So, Dean. Tell me, what causes you to look so sad?"

"Nothing."

"Bull." He pours Dean his wine and then for himself. "To the simplistic carnal needs of human civilisation." He toasts.

"I'm not sure if I wanna clink to that." Dean holds his wine glass away from Castiel.

"Tough." He 'clinks' their glasses together anyway and takes a sip. A satisfied smile creeps onto his face. "You know something that wine and people have in common?"

"They both get better with age?" Dean ganders a guess before taking a sip. The rich taste blooms across his tongue and engulfs his senses. The ecstasy that poises itself on his tastebuds is imminent and he freezes for a moment. Wine is doing this to him. Forever had he been a beer man, but this...is sensational.

"You're almost correct." Castiel notices just how happy Dean is to be drinking this wine. "The appearance remains mostly the same. It's the taste that changes. People can look the exact same, but they can become so much better as they get older. Or they can become evil dicks or vaginas, I'm not a sexist, equal opportunity for all dirtbags." He pauses to take another sip. "Wine can also turn awful. It's called being corked which is a risk for aging wine. Just like how turning into a penis or vagina is for people."

Dean stares blankly at the man next to him with wide eyes. He wants to reply with something substantial to that. It had been kooky to say the least, yet truthful. "Who are you?" Comes out of his mouth instead.

"I'm Castiel. I'm your neighbour, Dean. I thought we had established this." Castiel shakes his head and then turns his eyes back to the sky. "For a first date, would you prefer brunch with mimosas and brioche, or a home-cooked pot roast with sauteed chanterelle mushrooms?"

"Are you asking me on a date?"

"Are you attempting to answer my question with a question? Because that is the wrong way to do it." Castiel clicks his tongue in disappointment and drinks more wine.

"I'd prefer the pot roast to brioche."

Castiel turns his eyes away from the sky and looks at Dean with narrowed eyes. "Huh. Interesting. Do you not like brioche?"

"Someone has to be really good for me to enjoy their brioche."

"His or her." Castiel gently corrects before rushing on. "Tomorrow, you will receive a gift, courtesy of me. Do not question it. Just eat it."

"I'm not your Alice, Carroll." Dean says that as he sips his wine. Nothing contradictory about that. Not at all.

"Ooh, you're a references man. I suppose you'd have to be to be a financial planner."

Dean visibly pales at that. Castiel finishes his wine and then climbs onto the balcony ledge and sits down on it comfortably. "Cas! What the hell are you doing?"

"Relax, Dean. I'm not going to jump. I just enjoy the feeling of having the Universe spread itself out below me." Castiel swings his feet a moment then looks over at Dean with a smile. "You called me Cas."

"I'm sorry. I just thought you were going to jump and Castiel is too much to say…" He stops when he feels lips press against his forehead.

"It's okay. i don't mind the nickname, baby." Cas smiles and the pours himself another glass. "Keep drinking your wine. I don't dig people who waste."

"You aren't supposed to dig people at all."

Castiel turns and looks at Dean with a quizzical expression. "Was that...are you getting snarky with me, Dean?"

"Uh. No?" Dean sips his wine. "Merely saying that digging a person may get a little painful for the offended party."

"You are getting snarky." Castiel laughs. "And here I was thinking that you didn't have a sense of humour. Oh, how wrong I was."

"Is that why you kissed me?"

"Nope. I kissed you because you wanted me to." Cas looks down at the street. "You know how you do something and it seems okay while you're doing it, and then you look back on it at a later time and you think to yourself, 'self, what the hell was I thinking?'."

"All the time." Dean shakes his head and pulls himself away from the soothing sound of Castiel's voice. "Wait. What hell do you mean by I wanted you to kiss me?"

"Reassurance, Dean. Come now. You're better than this." Castiel sighs and then sips at his wine. "I'm rather impressed that something so simple can be so wonderful."

"Wine?" Dean is seriously starting to get confused by this basketcase.

"No." Cas turns his eyes onto Dean and fixes him with a stare so intense, Dean actually takes a half step back. "Company." Dean drinks more wine, just because he needs more alcohol in his system. He would usually drink whiskey and scotch and beer and down them because he could. But with wine, especially a fourteen-year-old bottle of wine, is not supposed to be downed.

"But I don't have anything profound to say. I mean...hell, I didn't even invite you over." Dean half-laughs and carefully cradles his wine in his hands.

"You did with your brain waves. And that's what matters. Words are irrelevant anyways." Castiel looks back at Dean with a smile. "Without you saying so, I can tell you're lonely, Dean."

"And you aren't?" It's a horrible comeback and as soon as it's out of his mouth, Dean realises it. He shakes his head. "Look, like most adults, the way it works is that we move out, start our lives, and we don't have time for other people anymore. That's just how it happens."

"It doesn't have to. The life you chose, Dean, doesn't have to be the one you continue to live. Anyone can get out of anything."

"What makes you so sure? I mean, from what I can see, you're a wine-appreciating, lock-picking crazy person who invokes existential crises." Castiel starts laughing. Dean glares at him. "What the hell? You're picking apart my life, and then you laugh?"

"Oh, Dean." Castiel shakes his head. "I've done a lot of things in my life that I wish I hadn't done, hadn't seen. And then a light came down from the sky and I decided then that I was done with all those bastards. Literal bastards, all of their parents died, or ran out on them, or something else along those lines." Cas looks down at Dean's glass. "Keep drinking."

Dean takes a sip on impulse and then stops. "Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"That's not my intention. It may be an outcome of my intention, but it's kind of tertiary."

"What do you do for a living?" Dean finishes his glass and Cas immediately fills it up again.

"I sell furniture to rich people."

"What? Why?"

"Now that's just rude. Those rich people need their couches and pillows on their credit cards without limits. Their lives are difficult, Dean."

"Now you're just being a sassy little shit."

"Some may say that that's a term of endearment." Cas swings back onto the balcony and places his hand over Dean's heart. "You shouldn't hide so often, Mr. Winchester." Dean feels his heart beat rush under Cas' fingers and steps back instantly. "You're a beautiful person on the inside. You should let people in some time. Eventually. No rush. Ultimately, the choice is yours."

"Cas…" Dean takes his time to search for the right words, but he can't find them. Nothing he wants to say is going to come out correctly. Little words are too complex and simple gestures are always grand and overwhelming. "I have to get back to work."

"As I said, take your time." Cas takes his glass of wine, finishes it, and then goes back into Dean's quaint apartment. "That wine is yours. Keep it. You need it way more than I do. Maybe one day...we'll pop open a 2010 bottle. But you'll have to buy it. I don't buy wine anymore. But, Dean," Castiel is suddenly serious as he turns around and fixes Dean with another one of those intense stares. "You need to open up a bit. If not to me or your brother, but to yourself."

Before Dean could ask how the hell Castiel knew he had a brother, the man had slipped through the front door and presumably back into his own apartment. Dean retrieves the rest of wine and sets it down on his coffee table. He just knows he's gonna need it to keep him going.

_A/N: So that's chapter 1! Whoa! Cas is weird. He's not nearly as kooky as he seems in this chapter. Just a little...drunk. I suppose. It's all about the alcohol. I drink way too much. I really do. I write everything with a glass of wine or a mimosa or a screwdriver. It's awesome. I'm not an alcoholic, I just enjoy drinks every night. Okay, I'm rambling. Please tell me what you think! It's greatly appreciated and it makes me happy._


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

Of all the mornings Dean had ever had in his life, this might just have been the worse. Everything that could have gone wrong took the liberty of just going wrong. His baby popped a tire halfway to work, so he had to call AAA to tow it out. Thankfully for the transit system. But he had twenty minutes before the next bus stopped by, so he grabbed himself a cup of coffee and it ended up tasting like Cocoa Puffs somehow. The bus just smelled like piss. At work, his report was correct, but needed to be redone since Anderson forgot a to hand him one of partner's finance report for the quarter. And then one of his colleague's water broke and she started freaking out and he just didn't know what to do.

So now, as he leans against the elevator wall in his apartment building, all Dean can think about doing is sleeping. He almost trips over something at his front door step.

_Dean_, in perfect letters is written on a paper on the box. Dean stoops down to pick it all up and then goes inside. The letters continue. _You said that it depends on who is making the brioche that determines whether you enjoy it. So I took it upon myself to give you my own special recipe. Well, not the actual recipe. Just enjoy it. Take a moment and let the flavours seep into your tastebuds. And then relish the feeling of euphoria that will engulf you. Yes, my brioche is that amazing. -C_

Dean rereads the letter a couple of times and then opens the cake box. Six good sized pastries are lined neatly in rows in the box. He opens the door and and sets the box down on his coffee table and just stares at it for a few moment. Cas, a guy he didn't even know, had made spent the time to make him brioche. And it was still kind of warm. How long had they been neighbours for before Cas decided to invite himself over? Months...years...weeks…?

Dean sits down on his couch and spends his time staring at the box. He has no idea just how long he's sitting there for before he decides to grab the box and then heads straight over to Cas' apartment.

He knocks three times and then waits.

"Hello, Dean. I see you got my brioche. What'd you think?" Cas leans casually against the door jam, obviously pretty pleased with himself.

"I haven't had it yet." Dean tries to ignore the expression of disappointment that's appeared on Cas' face. "I was thinking that we could enjoy them together and drink hot cocoa or something…" He looked down and then sighed. That sounded pretty girly…

Cas is silent for a long period of time. So when he doesn't speak up, Dean risks a glance and sees that Cas is staring at him with wide, nearly frightened eyes. "Or. Or you can forget that I ever said anything...and we can just...not ever…" Dean clears his throat when he starts saying things that he doesn't really want to come out of his mouth.

"No, no. It's fine. I just...it's a little messy right now...so…" Dean frowns. "But you can come in. Sorry, you just caught me unaware, is all."

Dean is trying to figure out where the way out there guy he had met last night had gone to, but somehow, he kind of likes this shy, flustered Castiel. He seems more down to earth. Cas and Dean lock eyes and they're both silent for a little while.

Cas chuckles and shakes his head. "I feel it's appropriate I invite you in." He steps to the side and lets Dean in. The first thing Dean notices about the apartment is that it's spotless. The second thing he notices is that instead of a doormat, Cas has a large pentagram taped in electrical tape on the wood floors of his foyer.

"You aren't a Wiccan or a Satanist, are you?" Dean sees Cas' socked feet and carefully toes his shoes off whilst juggling the box in his hands.

"No. It's a trap. Should I let you out?" Cas' tone is jesting, but he seems to be a little nervous. Which kind of makes sense. Maybe.

Dean shakes his head. "No, I think I'll be fine stepping over it."

Castiel is watching him so freaking carefully it's almost creepy. After Dean's got his shoes off, he steps out of the circle and tires not to notice how relieved Cas looks when he starts to follow him into the living room.

"You think your place is messy?"

"Well...I was doing so extracurricular activities earlier and I don't think I got to clean up properly before you came over…" Cas fiddles with his fingers and then takes the box from Dean's hands. "But don't worry, I think I got it all up."

Dean lets Cas take the box, but looks around the living room in disgust. "What extracurriculars? Oh god…" Dean does his damnest not to touch anything.

"Not like that." Cas chuckles. "No dirty, gross man juices around here, Mr. Winchester." He walks into his kitchen and glances over the nook at Dean. "What do you wanna drink? Never mind. I know. You want something warm. Maybe alcoholic. Something that will strike your fancy."

"How did you know I have a brother?" Dean blurts.

"You have a picture of him in your apartment. I figured that was either your brother or your gay lover." Cas shrugs. "I was hoping."

"You think I'm attractive?"

"You want a warm white russian." Cas moves to his refrigerator and pulls out cream. "And I assume you aren't lactose intolerant. I'm usually pretty good at knowing these things, but that isn't to say that I'm never wrong." He pours some cream into a pot and warms it up. While it heats up, he grabs the whiskey and places it on the counter.

"Cas…" Dean follows Cas into the kitchen and leans against a countertop. "Why don't you answer my questions?"

"Why don't you ask me questions that I can answer?" Cas retorts immediately. "And that's how you answer a question with a question. Because whatever you were doing last night, Dean, that wasn't right."

"What's your last name?"

"I don't like to give it out."

"Why?"

"Because of reasons. I don't want people to be able to find me."

"But I already know that you're here."

"Case in point." Cas goes back to the cream and adds sugar. "Do you prefer your Russians a little extra sweet? Yes. I do too."

Dean pushes himself off the counter and goes over to Cas and grabs him by the shoulders. "You're freaking infuriating, you know that?"

"I've been told." Cas glances down at one of Dean's hands and sighs. "I rather enjoy not being manhandled, just so you know. But if you like me, I don't mind." Dean considers for a few moments and then just lets go of Cas' shoulders. "Now that that's been settled, I think the cream is ready." He finishes up the White Russians and hands a mug over to Dean. "Get ready for the best brioche you've ever had before in your life."

They settle on one of Cas' rugs, their White Russians in hand and their brioche in a box in front of both of them. They sit for a long while and just stare at the pastries. Cas clears his throat. "This is usually the moment when one of us takes a pastry and then continues to eat it. And since I made them for you, it only seems natural that you get one first."

Dean can only nod. He takes a brioche and notices and Cas does the same. And then he takes a bite. It taste like Heaven. Light, airy, sweet. He takes another bite. A sort of chocolatey syrup is in the centre. It definitely isn't Hershey's or any other kind of syrup he'd had before. But it's damn good. The taste of cinnamon is more of an after-thought. Dean doesn't realise that he's making little moaning sounds until he opens his eyes to see Cas staring at him with wide eyes and a slight blush.

Castiel takes a sip of his drink. His blush slips from his face and he smirks. "I told you that they're amazing. And you had said that you weren't a huge fan of brioche."

"What kind of chocolate is this?"

"A recipe that I came up with when I had way too much time on my hands." He watches, pleased, as Dean drinks some of his Russian and smiles into his mug.

"Are you even real?"

"Well, I'm corporeal if that's what you mean." Cas stands off the floor and moves to where Dean can't see him. A few moments later, Dean can hear string instruments and a piano playing. Usually, he isn't much a fan of classical music, but this is...this is beautiful. Cas sits back down in front of him. "I know you're more of a Zeppelin and Supertramp man. Good company, good brioche, good drinks...it constituted the sounds of good music without that confusion of words."

Dean smiles. "What is it?"

"It's by Gabriel Yared and it's from the movie _Le Herrison_." The French flows out of Cas' mouth so fluidly, Dean almost believes that he's French. "It's incredible. Its based off of a book called _L'Elegance du le Herisson_. It's a beautiful story."

"You spend your time reading French novels?"

"Among other things." Cas munches on his brioche and closes his eyes as he savours the taste. "Oh man, I should open a bakery."

"It would get you away from selling furniture."

"And what makes you think I don't enjoy selling furniture?"

Dean looks around the sparcely furnished room. The only real furniture in the room are just a couple of counterstools at the breakfast nook and the television stand. Other than that, the room is mostly empty. "Well, I don't know, Castiel. Maybe it's the lack of anything in this room."

"I have a bed."

"I'm sure you do."

"Do you wanna see it?"

Dean pales. "Maybe another day." He shakes his head and finishes off his brioche. "This is amazing. If you opened a bakery, I'd buy out all of your brio-" Dean stops mid-word and gives Castiel a look of extreme scrutiny. "Wait...can you bake other things, too?"

"How about another warm White Russain?" Cas stands hurriedly off the floor and goes back into the kitchen. Dean follows just as quickly. "I can mix a mean screwdriver. I think it's time we moved away from the soul-curing drinks and straight into the hard handover inducing drinks."

"I have work tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is Saturday, Mr. Winchester. And I seriously doubt that a financial planner has to go into to an office building on a Saturday. Oh wait. Financial manager, excuse me for being wrong."

"How do you know what I do? And how come you only answer my questions when it suits your needs?" Dean grabs Cas by the wrist when he starts to rifle through his refrigerator. "Why are you always so freaking vague?"

"You don't know me well enough to know if I'm always like this, Dean. It's such a gross exaggeration." Cas gently pries Dean's fingers off of his and then pushes him away.

"I know you well enough to know that you kind of enjoy sleeping around. And that you invite yourself over to strangers' homes. And that you think you deserve better than what you have." Dean throws his hands up in exasperation at Cas' narrowed eyes and tilted head.

"Isn't that everybody though? Everyone wants a better life than what they have. I don't see you being too happy with your job. And just so you know, our mailman is attractive. Perhaps you should get downstairs one day at around 7:30 and you'll see him. And even you, straight Dean, will think he's attractive." Cas has finished making screwdrivers while he spoke and handed one to Dean.

"Knowing I'm straight, why did you kiss me?" Dean takes a large gulp of his drink and looks at Cas questioningly.

"Knowing I'm not, why did you come over? Even when I asked you about date ideas." Dean is silent. "Because of my brainwaves, Dean. I have brainwaves that you're attracted to and you like it."

"I don't know if I like it…" Dean mutters under his breath. Nonetheless, Cas hears him anyways.

"Whatever gets you through the night. Now! Let's get drunk." And to that, Cas toasts and downs his screwdriver. Dean mentally says _fuck it_, it's Friday and follows suit.

* * *

It's a few hours later, Dean is lying on his back staring at the ceiling. Cas has his head rested on Dean's stomach. And Lord of the Rings: Return of the King is playing.

"I can't...I can't believe 'e're watching this...uhm...that word...it doesn't mean forwards…"

"Anti-forwards."

"Right. We're watching this anti-forwards." Dean giggles and then looks down at Cas who's tracing invisible patterns in the air with his fingers.

"It's the only way that makes sense." Cas stills his hands and then sits up abruptly. "We should...let's bake cookies!"

"I don't think that's such a good idea. We might burn this place down…"

"But think of the sugar." Cas stands and drags Dean up with him. "We must make sugar cookies. This is not up for discussion."

And just like that, they turn the television off and head straight into the kitchen, trying to read Cas' handwritten instructions for 'World's best Sugar Cookies'. There's flour everywhere. Cas' usually immaculate home ruined. But he doesn't seem to mind.

"Why is your handwriting so goddamn perfect?" Dean is holding the recipe in his hands, looking it over as though it holds all the answers to his life. Currently, it holds only the secrets to what he'll be eating later that evening.

"Don't blaspheme."

"You're a freaking angel, you know that?" Dean sets it down and walks over to Cas who is mixing in eggs.

"I do know, as a matter of fact, that I am the Patron Saint of Cookie Making." The batter is finished and Dean reaches his hand in, only for it to be smacked away by a wooden spoon. Which really fucking hurts by the way. In television shows, they just wipe it off like, 'whatevs', but in real life, it's like, 'what the actual fuck? It feels like Satan just made hell descend on the back of my hand.' Holy bitches and fried rice.

"That hurt. You're the Patron Saint of being a dick."

"I have a dick." Cas kisses the back of Dean's hand as consolation. And then starts speaking in a fake British accent. "Oh, dear sir! I do apologise to you and your poor dainty hands and delicate skin. Do forgive me for bestowing some pain upon you."

"You're a freaking weirdo. Ooh!" Dean grabs a bottle of rum and pours himself a glass, downs it, then pours himself another. "Let's put rum in the cookies."

"I just want a glass of the stuff." Cas gets handed one and drinks it down. "And no, no rum in the cookies. Recipe says no." He spins in a circle and turns on music, seemingly from nowhere. "I don't know what you listen to, but I know you appreciate the classics. And...I like modern music. So you're gonna have to deal with a weird mix, mmkay, baby?"

"I can dig it. As long as there are songs I can enjoy are on...whatever we're listening to."

"My ippid, Dean."

"Your what?" Dean looks down at the the mp3 player.

"Your kind calls them iPods. But I think that sounds stupid. So...ippid." Cas pulls out a baking sheet and pre-heats the oven. "_What I'm trying to say! What I waa-aant to saaay! Without having to say! I loo-oo-ove you_!" He sings loudly as he greases his cookie sheet. He sends a sly smile in Dean's direction and then reaches his hand into the flour. Before Dean can ask what he's doing, he's covered head to foot in flour. Cas' laughter fills the small apartment. "Ha! You look like Jack Frost!"

"Evil Demon or Chris Pine?"

"Hey! The evil demon Jack Frost was just a phase. So I'd have to say...Chris Pine. Except your eyes are green." Cas throws a handful of powdered sugar at Dean. "Now you're delicious!"

"I'm always delicious. With or without sugar." Dean holds up the tin of baking powder. "What does this stuff taste like?" As soon as Cas opens his mouth to answer, Dean spills the contents of the container over his head and laughs. "You look actually surprised. And here I was thinking that you have ESPN."

Cas almost keels over laughing. "I really hope that was a Mean Girls reference."

"I'm not stupid, Cas." Dean's voice has taken on a sort of valley girl drawl. "Ugh. I act however I want whenever I want. I'm my own man."

"You also need a man." Cas challenges, downing another shot of rum. "Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me!"

Neither of them know what time it is, but with all the noise they're making, someone's bound to complain soon. They don't care though. It's been such a long time since Dean has let himself just have fun. And it's been a while since he's been this drunk.

Dean, leaning half on Cas and half on the counter, helps scoop little cookie dough balls onto the baking sheet. Their hands are covered in dough when they're finished. But Cas doesn't seem to notice. He left little pieces of cookie dough on the oven handle when he opens it up. Dean laughs and smears the dough on Cas' cheeks.

"You need to stop that. Some may say that you have a food fetish."

"But that would imply that you turn me on." Dean licks a bit of cookie dough off his fingers, not missing how Cas' eyes follow the movment.

"Don't I? I turn on the world, Dean." Cas runs a hand over his chest in what's supposed to be sexy, and it kind of is, but he's getting cookie dough all over his shirt. "Have you seen my hips?" He runs his tongue over his lips and slowly lifts his shirt up, leaning against the countertop.

Dean eyes automatically fall to the small sliver of skin that Cas has started showing off. "I have now." He chuckles. "Are you seducing me, Cas?"

Instead of answering, Cas turns around and puts his flour and sugar tins away, ultimately ending his food tease. "Help me eat out of the bowl. I don't wanna do it alone."

"Isn't that one of those things we were told never to do?" Dean's eyes dart between Cas and the bowl. He's clearly tempted to want to eat it.

"Just do it." Cas shoves a spoon in Dean's hand and hold the bowl out to him. "C'mon, Dean. Live life on the corner."

"Do you mean a prostitute or a homeless person?"

"Neither. corners are usually more dangerous than edges." Cas dips his fingers into the bowl and pulls out a pretty big scoop of cookie dough. "Come 'ere, Dean. Lemme smear this on your face and then lick it off." He creeps closer to Dean who slowly starts backing away.

"C'mon. Stop that. Cas...Cas! No!" They end up on the floor, Dean on his back, Cas straddling his waist and putting little dots of cookie dough on his face.

"You're delicious." He laughs. "My delicious Jack Frost. I just wanna…" Cas trails off and Dean suddenly becomes rather aware of their positions. "I have things to tell you, Dean. Things that I think you'll understand."

"Whoa, man. Too fast. Dates first and then crazy confessions."

"You'll go on dates with me?" Dean nods before he can even think of stopping himself. It's probably the alcohol, really. But if wasn't drunk, he probably just would have shrugged and said, maybe.

Cas stands up quickly and pulls Dean up with him. "It's late. You should...you should go get some sleep and I'll bring you cookies tomorrow. And you might wanna shower too." Dean can't get a word in as Cas keeps talking to him and shoving him out the room. "I'm sorry. I'll talk to you again soon."

Dean opens his mouth to say something, but Cas places a hand over his mouth and meets Dean's eyes with that intense soul-crushing stare. Dean places his hand over the hand on his mouth and gently takes it from his mouth. "I expect cookies, Cas."

"I won't forget." Cas trails his hand up Dean's forearm and gently pulls at his sleeve. "One day...it'd be nice to see you in casual clothes." Before Dean can answer, Cas is pressing their foreheads together and then… Dean closes his eyes and waits. Cas pulls away from him and goes back into his apartment, leaving Dean to stare blankly at his door. After an undetermined amount of time, he goes back into his apartment and goes to shower.

To be honest, Cas feels pretty bad about just shoving Dean out like that. But he just needs to think. His kitchen is a wreck. He snaps his fingers and everything goes back to looking normal, immaculate. He sighs and drops his head into his hands, letting the effects of alcohol drain from his system.

The cookies finish and he lets the cool on the stove. He'd bring them over in the morning. Maybe next week. No, maybe an hour. Or less or more... Who knows.

_A/N: See? Like I said. Fluff. I love the fluff. They're so freaking cute. I love Cas as an Angel. And I love Dean as a normal person. Of course, I love him as a badass hunter too. Because, you know, Dean Winchester is freaking beautiful. And so goddamn sexy. Oh...the things I'd let him do to me. Anyways. The song that Cas is singing is called_ What I'm Trying to Say _by Stars. And yes, _The Hedgehog_ is a real movie. And it's incredible! I recommend it whole-heartedly. Please review. I like reviews. They make me happy. And there might be plot. Or it might just be evening adventures with Dean and Cas. Always, Pyxie 3_


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

Dean couldn't believe what had happened the night before. Cas had just kicked him out. And had Dean actually waited to be kissed? Had that actually happened? It had probably been the alcohol that had done that to him. But hell, with this hangover he's sporting, he can't think of anything right now.

So when his doorbell rings, he stumbles out into his living room dressed in just pyjama pants, the last thing he's thinking about is how scantily dressed he is.

"I'm coming. Or something. Calm your tits...stop ringing my doorbell." The person his now using his door as a drum and playing beats whilst ringing the doorbell and it's fucking obnoxious. "Hold your tits!" He yells as he opens the door.

"Hold my tits?" Cas raises an eyebrow when he finally sees Dean. He's holding a small plate of cookies that look absolutely perfect.

"I was going to say calm your tits, but then I wanted to say hold your horses...and y'know." Dean runs a hand through his hair and steps back. "Come in, Cas. Make yourself at home. Fun stuff is gonna happen here."

"You know it's Monday, right?" Castiel relishes in watching Dean momentarily freak out and run around in circles, trying to figure out what's happening. Dean looks at the clock and then down at his clothes.

"Fuck! Fuck!" He runs into his room and looks at his phone. Dropping his phone back on his bed after the false alarm, he pads back out into the living room and glares at Cas. "Very funny."

"I figured it would help clear your head. Did it work?" Cas sits himself down on Dean' sofa and lies down.

"No." Dean groans and flops onto his floor. "It's worse. You suck."

"I brought cookies. While you were freaking out, I put them in your kitchen." Cas stares at Dean's television. "How important is tv to you, Dean? I've noticed that people spend a lot of money on what is typically considered to be superficial. Like...how much more attractive is a woman if she wears makeup?"

Dean looks at Cas with a confused look. "Cas, what the hell?" Dean goes into his kitchen and grabs his cookies. "I enjoy my shows. _Dr. Sexy M.D_., _X-Files_, _Star Trek_, you know, the usual." Dean sits on the floor next to the sofa and tugs the throw off and wraps it around his shoulders.

"No, don't do that. Don't cover yourself up. I was enjoying the view." Cas leans over and takes a cookies from off of Dean's lap. "I said I wanted to see you in casual clothes. And now I get to see you in your jam-jams. You know it's noon, right?"

"Why are these cookies still warm?" Dean takes a bite of his sugar cookie and eyes Cas carefully.

"They are warmed with the joy of my heart." Cas is internally relieved when Dean only rolls his eyes and ceases to further question him. "I know the perfect hangover cure, if you're willing." He suggests

Dean looks at his cookies, looks at Cas, back at his cookie, down at his lack of clothes, then shrugs. "Are you gonna take my cookie from me?"

"No." Cas motions to Dean's sofa. "Sit."

"Ooh." Dean fake swoons as he sits on his couch. "I kinda got tingles when you took control like that. You should speak in incomplete sentences all the time." He chuckles to disguise his nervousness as Cas stands behind him."You aren't gonna molest me, are you?"

"Just try to relax." Cas places his hands on the Dean's shoulders, his thumbs at the base of his skull. Then gently, he presses his thumbs into the pressure points on either side of Dean's cervical vertebrae. Of course, Cas has no idea if this would work if he didn't have Grace, but that wasn't the point. Slowly, he eases his Grace into Dean's body and lets it rid his head of a throbbing pain and light-headedness and nausea.

"Whoa…" Dean just sits there as his hangover just disappears. "You've got magic fingers, Cas. What else are those hands useful for?" He can't stop his brazenness from just popping out and a small blush fills his cheeks.

"They're good for cooking, baking, massages, and hand jobs." Cas takes his hands away from Dean's neck and goes into the kitchen. "How about some tea?"

Dean won't answer. _Can't_ answer is probably a more fitting phrase. Cas, will all of his weirdness, is definitely not a stranger to sex. And maybe on Monday, Dean would leave a little earlier just to see the mailman. Just to see what kind of guys Cas is into. Not that Dean cares or anything like that. He's just curious. 'Just curious' gets people into a lot of trouble though. Like...quite a bit. Depending on the situations of course. This is not one of those situations

"Dean." Cas snaps him back to reality. "What kind of tea do you want?"

"Coffee."

"That isn't tea."

"I know."

Cas walks back into the living room and stares at Dean carefully. "But I already made water…"

"What? You've been in there for like...ten seconds." Dean stands up and scratches his bare belly. He tries not to notice how Cas watches the movement.

"You've been spacing out. It's been five minutes." Cas placed a mug of something in front of Dean on the coffee table and then went back into the kitchen. "I have to work later, so I won't be able to stay too long. So until I have to leave, you can just suck in my presence. It'll help with the separation anxiety later." Even though they're a room apart, Dean can still hear Cas as though he's right next to him.

Dean looks back to the kitchen and sees Cas rifling through his cupboards and refrigerator. And even though he can't see the other's face very well, he can tell Cas is frowning. It's the way his fingers clench at the top of the fridge door, his elbows are pulled in, his shoulders slumped. Poor, frowning Cas. "What are you looking for?"

"Something to make you for brunch. But your food selection is so limited. To beer...ground beef...and…" There's a small clatter and then the fridge door shuts and Cas goes over to the pantry. "Chocolate-peanut butter candies."

"I have pickles too."

"You _did_. And I'm not sorry about that." Cas leaves the kitchen and goes into the laundry room. Looks like he's going to have to do this the human-way. No finger snapping and everything would be perfect. Ugh, if only. He sighs and grabs a roll of paper towels and Dean's broom and cleansing spray.

_Demons...34th Ave. and Jefferson...Castiel…_

Cas' head perks up. He knows that voice. He knows that voice well. There's a job. On the south side of Seattle, but nonetheless, a job.

"Dean. I must go." Cas half-runs out into the living room and drops all the things he had grabbed and plops them on the floor in front of Dean. "Forgive me. I will explain everything later."

"Cas, what the hell?" Dean stands up and glares daggers at Castiel. "You break a jar and now you're leaving? Call me old-fashioned, but that's typically considered bad manners." He shakes his head and grabs Cas by the shoulders.

"Dean-"

"No, no. Where are you running off to?"

"There's something I need to take care of." Cas is desperate to go. Demons in the area can't be a good thing.

"Tell me." Dean is insistent that Cas just tell him. But Castiel knows he can't. Putting Dean at risk is not something he wants to do.

"I can't. I can't tell you." Cas is considering just disappearing and then erasing Dean's memory. But there are things that could go wrong if he does that. "Please…"

"Can you at least clean up your mess?"

Cas grinds his teeth, suddenly frustrated. "I need to save your life and everyone else's life in this city." He snaps his fingers. The mess in the kitchen is gone. The cleaning supplies are back in the laundry room. "Is that clean enough for you?" And with that, he vanishes, leaving Dean standing alone in his living room.

"What the fuck?" Dean whispers, trying hard to figure out exactly what had just happened. "What the fuck? Cas?" He turns in a few circles, just to make sure that he is indeed alone. "HOLY SHIT!"

* * *

Cas feels terrible. His nerves had been on edge. He shouldn't have vanished. No, that was bad. _That was bad, Castiel, what were you thinking? Do you even have a brain? Are you fully functional?_

Castiel blinks. It's time. He standing outside of the house. He can feel demons inside. To onlookers, he's invisible, and he'd like to keep it that way. He checks the time. 1:43. He has time before he has to work at 3:30.

It isn't too hard to fight off just a couple of demons. He appears in the middle of the living room in the home that he's checking out. He can feel it buzzing with activity. It doesn't matter to him what they're doing, he just knows that it's his orders to kill them. Not that orders really matter all that much. But as long as he keeps this little corner of the world safe, then he's all for it.

Down to the basement he goes. Oh. Demons. Ka-blam! His grace leaks from every pour of his body and engulfs the basement. He can feel his wings extend as he kills off every demon in the room. There is probably a more graceful way of killing off demons, but pssh, who cares? All he wants to do is just kill them all, shut the Gates of Hell indefinitely and then live the next couple of 'years' as a human. Of course, he won't be human, but he can pretend for a few moments.

He can feel more demons upstairs and he extends his Grace farther and soon the entire house is glowing. And then...that's it. He's done. Thank goodness it's all over. At least for the moment.

* * *

"He just fucking vanished, Sam!" Dean is pacing around his kitchen, trying to find any broken glass. The smell of pickles is still in the air, but no glass, no pickle juice, nothing. And more than that, there's still a jar of pickles in the fridge. "He fixed shit. And then _vanished_!" His phone is pressed close to his ear, threatening to invade his earhole and get sucked into his brain.

"Dean, whoa. Calm down. Who are you talking about?" Sam had been sitting at his desk studying when Dean called. And normally when they talk it's, 'Oh, brother, life has been uneventful. But I have watched some movies.' Not, 'There's a supernatural guy living next door who can perform small miracles and disappear."

"Castiel! My fucking neighbour! He's…" Dean is trying to find the right words. _Scary_,_ terrifying_, and _powerful_ are all words that he could have said. But, for his life, he couldn't figure how why the hell he says, "Sexy."

"What?!" Sam holds his phone away from his ear and stares at it in shock. "Did you just say-"

"No. I say scary." Dean quickly corrects. Truthfully, there had been something spectacularly hot about the way Cas had yelled at him. But this is so not the time to be thinking about it. "He fixed my fucking pickles. And oh my god! His fucking cookies and brioche!"

Sam is starting to become really confused. "Dean, what are you talking about?"

"Are you in front of a computer?"

"Always." Sam opens the lid to his laptop and types ' ' into his omnibox. "What am I looking up?"

"Search the name Castiel." Dean is pacing back and forth in front of his television. His cookies are still just sitting there, beckoning him and saying, 'Deanie...come and eat me. Eat me like I'm delicious, Dean...' So Dean grabs one and starts munching on it. He can hear Sam typing away on his laptop.

"Okay, so...Castiel is the name of an angel. A seraph of Heaven that would prefer to watch the actions of humans rather than interact with that…" Sam stops. "Huh. Dean...maybe your neighbour just had a super religious upbringing…?" Even Sam seems kind of unsure of unsure of himself.

"He disappeared!" Dean drops onto his sofa and devours his cookie. "I have a fucking angel of the lord living next door to me! A fucking angel!" By this time, he's pacing around his living room and yelling obscenities into his phone.

Sam just listens. There's no way in hell that Castiel is an angel. This just isn't possible. There are no such things as angels. Soon, Sam just can't handle Dean yelling in his ear anymore. "Dean! Just shut up. It's gonna be fine."

"But this explains the cookies!"

"What?" Sam is so confused.

"They are perpetually warm! What kind of cookies stay warm overnight? And his fucking brioche! No one's brioche should be that goddamn delicious!" Dean goes out onto his balcony and tosses the rest of his cookie out into the empty air. "NOOO!"

Sam pulls his phone away from ear quickly when Dean yells. "Dean, what the hell?"

"My cookie…" Dean half-whimpers. "I threw my fucking cookie!" He growls into the phone. "I want another cookie!" He goes back into his living room and grabs himself another cookie and just when he's about to take a bite of it, he pulls it away from his lips and then glares at it. "If something is touched by an angel...doesn't that make it holy?"

"I dunno. Probably. What's wrong with you?"

"I'm about to eat something touched by an-" Dean stops. He had touched Cas. He and Cas had been touching. And he had wanted to kiss Cas. Maybe...maybe… "Son of a bitch." They had touched a lot.

"Dean…"

"I have to go." Dean hangs up and then goes into his kitchen. It's eight o'clock somewhere.

_A/N: Okay...so not so fluffy. Sorry! I love you, dear listeners! Okay. So I shall update again. And soon. Perhaps even sooner than I posted this one. But I've just been so busy. My poor, beautiful, lovelies. Alright, you sexies! Until Chapter 4. Also...I was kind of drunk at one point in time while writing this...uhm...yeah. -Pyxie xx_


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

"Dean…" Cas opens his apartment door at three o'clock in the morning and looks at a very drunk Dean with a head tilt.

"We gotta fuckin' talk, you." Dean barges into Castiel's living room. It's in this moment that Cas notices that Dean isn't wearing shoes. Or a shirt. That seems to be a pretty common occurrence with Dean.

"Perhaps...you should put a shirt on first." Cas shuts the door to his apartment and follows Dean to sit down on the rug.

"That's one of the things I wanna talk to you about." Dean lies out on the rug and stares up at the ceiling. "Are you an Angel?"

"Don't flirt, Dean. It's unbecoming." Castiel feels a surge of nerves course through his being.

Dean turns over and glares at Cas. "Don't fuck with me. You fucking disappeared, Cas. And cleaned my kitchen. Shit like that doesn't happen with other, normal people. And I looked up that pentagram on the floor. Or should I say 'Devil's Trap'? Man, I gotta say, I've gotta hand it to you."

A cold rush washes over Cas and he tries to keep up a levelled gaze. But he can't. Or maybe, he can. "Dean, I don't know what you're talking about."

"You are such an awful liar." Dean's words are slurred as he begins to become more and more irritated. "Are you really an Angel? Or...are you something that's actually evil? You exist, right?"

"Would you be upset if I didn't?"

"You have no idea." Dean rolls into a sitting position and gives Cas a glare. "You tell me who you are or I'll freak the fuck out." When Cas hesitates, Dean sucks in a deep breath, getting ready to start yelling.

Cas places a hand against Dean's mouth and shakes his head violently. "Okay. Okay. I'll tell you, just...please. Please. Gimme a moment." He stands up and goes into his kitchen. "How about some water?"

"No, I wanna beer." Dean is following Cas. However wobbly, still following.

"I'd say you've had enough. But a beer does sound good." Getting drunk whilst having this conversation seems like the worst idea he's ever had, but if he's going to be able to talk to Dean about this, perhaps… "Actually...let's do shots."

[An unknown number of shots of some alcoholic beverage later]

"I'm an angel of the Lord, Dean." Cas presses his face into Dean's bare stomach and lies down on him completely. "And you have the most beautiful soul I've ever seen."

"I thought you said fl-fri-flirting is gross."

"Yeah. It kind of is." Cas trails his fingers over Dean's tattoo. "How do you know about this?"

"My mom, brother, and I got them together. It was her idea." Dean wraps his arms around Cas' torso and pulls them flush together. "Do you have wings?"

"Yes."

"Can I see them?"

Castiel stiffens. He knows he isn't supposed to show his wings to any human, but this is Dean… "Wings are very intimate."

"So let's have sex and you can show them to me."

"Not that simple. We have to share a bond. A bond that common only in angels." Cas sighs as Dean's hands brush over his shoulder blades, where, if they were corporeal, his wings would be. It feels nice. Really nice. He chokes back a sound of pleasure. But that doesn't stop Dean. If anything, it makes him press just a little harder.

"Fine. So...you're from Heaven. Oh man…" Dean laughs and finally lays his hand flat on Cas' back. "All the pick-up lines I can use on you."

"I would really like it if you didn't. I'm fully aware of what they are and how many Angel jokes you can use on me, but-"

"Cas, man, don't ruin it." Dean shakes his head. "Just one, okay? And then I'll leave it alone."

"No."

Dean sighs and lifts his head to hit it against the floor. "You're such a party pooper."

"Happy Sunday."

Dean sits up and Cas rolls off of him obediently. "Let's make breakfast."

"We're gonna set my apartment on fire." Cas follows Dean to...well, wherever he's going.

"And as my apartment is right next door, we'll set both our apartments on fire." Dean is opening random doors in Cas' apartment, mapping it out. Then the bedroom. "Oh, you do have a bed."

"This isn't the kitchen." Cas watches as Dean sits down on his bed and cuddles up with one of his pillows.

Dean only nods. "You smell amazing. Do all Angels smell this awesome? Or is it just you? Do you really sell furniture?"

"No, yes, and yes."

"Why? Why do you smell so good? Tell me, Cas. I wanna know everything." Dean curls up into a ball and giggles another one of his manly giggles.

"You're drunk. Why don't you just take a nap, Dean." It's not much of a question, more of a suggestion.

Dean sticks out his arms and waves over Cas. "Only if you sleep with me. Come on. C'm'ere and gimme a hug."

"Dean…" Cas wants to say no. But at the same time, what harm could sleeping together do?

"Just take that angellic stick out of your arse and join me."

There's that need again to say no to Dean and just walk out and let him sleep in his bed. But he finds that his feet are moving on his own and he can't do anything to stop them. Soon, Cas is standing at the side of his bed, looking down at Dean with mild confusion. The human shakes his head and laughs, grabbing one of Castiel's hands and pulling him onto the bed with him.

"Hey, Sassy Cassie?" Cas elects to ignore that nickname for the time being. "Do you sleep?"

"I usually sit in a state of suspended animation or meditation until the sun rises." Cas lets Dean curl up against his side, feeling the brief skin against skin that sends tiny shocks of electricity up his body.

"You speak funny." Dean presses his face into Cas' neck and inhales his scent. A small sound of appreciation rumbles in the back of his throat. "Why do you sell furniture? Can't you just quit your job and stay here for free? I mean...you're an Angel."

"And you are akin to a night blogger." Cas sighs when he feels Dean's stubble rub against his clavicle. There's silence between them and for a while, he thinks Dean has fallen asleep. But that rough feeling of stubble is replaced by the gentle feeling of soft lips and open-mouthed kisses.

Castiel squeezes his eyes shut when he feels Dean throw a leg over one of his own and slowly grind his hips against Cas' thigh. The human's breaths are coming out quickened, yet laboured. Harsh, yet soft. And all Cas can think about are those roaming hands and slowly grinding hips. Dean bites gently at his collarbone

And just as quickly as that had all begun, it stops. Dean is still straddling one of his legs, a hardness pressed against the outside of his leg. But those lips are no longer dragging small trails down his neck. Those hands are no longer drifting to nethers. Dean's breath is evening out into a state of peaceful restfulness.

Cas lets out a sigh of relief. He can't help but thank his father that those ministrations are over. Dean is handsy when he is drunk. Then again, so is Cas. He is not entirely innocent in their contact. But he's never so open either.

Soon, the angel's eyes slip shut, and he lets himself seek his own internal haven until the morning comes.

* * *

Dean doesn't know what he's feeling when he wakes up. Well-rested, warm, hot, aroused, confused, comfortable, frustrated. He moves to sit up, but when his morning arousal rubs against something, he chokes out a moan and falls back onto the bed.

Not his bed. His eyes fly open and he takes in his surroundings. Tan walls, dark wood dressers and nightstands, a single lamp in the corner. This isn't his room. Hell, this isn't even his apartment. Dean realises that he's tangled up in something. He gazes down at his body. His arms and legs are wrapped octopus-style around his neighbour.

"Cas…"

At his name, Castiel's eyes open and he looks at Dean. Damn, have Cas' eyes always been so goddamned blue? Probably. Maybe it's because he's an Angel that they look so bright.

"Good morning, Dean." No morning breath. It must be awesome being an Angel. Dean makes no attempt to pull away from Castiel. He finds that this position is really freaking comfortable. It has nothing to do with cuddling, because no matter what the circumstance is, Dean Winchester does not do the cuddling.

"Hey. How was your suspended animation?" It's at this point that Dean starts to think that he should get 'Little Big Dean' to calm down. He tries to think of sacs of fat for post-liposuction surgery. But that doesn't work out too well. The thought of Robin Thicke seems to do the trick though. He's soft again after a few moments and…is it just him, or does Cas seem to be a little disappointed.

"It lasted much less time than I would have liked it to." Cas glances at the time. "However, we did begin our hours of unconsciousness quite early this morning…"

"What time is is?"

"Just past noon."

Dean shoots up in bed, leaving himself cold. "I have work."

"It's Sunday." Maybe Dean just has a problem with remembering what weekends are, Cas thinks to himself.

Dean returns to his usual position after he looks at Castiel's clock and sees the 'Sun' in the bottom right-hand corner. "Oh, well, that's good."

"How much do you remember from last night? Well, I should correct myself. This morning."

"I remember you telling me that you're an Angel." Dean can feel Cas kind of stiffen at that. "I also remember we had a lot of shots of tequila and rum. And then…" He closes his eyes and tries to remember. "I dragged you into bed and fell asleep."

Cas nods. Perhaps the idea of telling the truth about what had really happened would be too much to handle. Dean's perception of last night's truth would probably end their evening commraderie. Although, if it ends, it's true that it hasn't lasted long enough for an actual bond to have formed.

"You should get up." Cas says abruptly. As much as he enjoys having Dean wrapped around him, it isn't entirely appropriate. Not this morning. Perhaps when their bounds aren't so blurred, perhaps then, will waking together feel...correct.

"I wake to sleep and take my waking slow." Dean says in answer. He nuzzles in closer to Castiel and closes his eyes.

"What?"

"I thought Angels are supposed to be omnipotent. It's a poem, Cas." The unspoken 'even I know that' is in there.

"Your Bible gets much wrong, Dean. We are soldiers, sworn to protect humanity and serve God." Cas pointedly ignores the chuckles that comes from his little spoon.

"Alright, calm your tits."

"Am I not to hold them this time?" Dean looks up at Cas and they make eye contact. Slowly, with a stare that challenges, Cas' hand drifts up his chest to his 'tits', as Dean so eloquently calls them. He doesn't miss that Dean licks his lips subconsciously. Nor does his miss the tighter grip on his sides.

"Bite me." Dean pulls his entire body away, hips first, and then gets up and goes straight into the bathroom across the hall.

Castiel rolls on his back and laughs, just loud enugh for Dean to hear. These little sessions of unresolved sexual tension are going to make Dean's human heart beat itself into a heart attack. Which is probably a bad thing.

It's just a few minutes later when Cas also decides to get up. He glances at his bed and revels in the mess that he and Dean had made of it. And for months, he had thought that purchasing a bed was a bad idea. In the blink of an eye, it's fixed again, looking untouched. Dean walks back into the room, still scantily dressed in his flannel pants and no shirt.

Cas tries his best to not admire the view, but he fails miserably. "Naught for nothing, but the last time someone looked at me like that, I got laid." Dean smirks and rubs a hand up and down his bare chest. Cas follows the motion and gives a more intense look of scrutiny. Dean winks.

"You should go." Dean's face falls.

"Oh, c'mon, Cas. Not again. I already know you're an Angel and that you kill off demons and vampires and stuff. What else can you possibly be hiding from me?"

"My age, Dean. The age difference between us is insurmountable."

"So?"

That hadn't been the answer that Cas had been expecting. He blinks. "Say again."

"You look my age. Who cares if you've been around since the dinosaurs? You have experiences I will never...experience. But you have the face of a thirty-something-year-old." Dean rakes his eyes up and down Castiel's body. "An attractive thirty-something-year-old."

Cas has the good grace to look down and adopt this sheepish expression. "This is only a vessel."

"You're possessing him?" Dean's good nature suddenly drops and Cas raises his hands in defence.

"No! I had been. And then about three years ago, I let his soul ascend to Heaven." Cas sighs and sits down on his bed. Dean follows suit. "He was a devout man. He actually prayed for this."

"So...what do you look like?" Dean just has to know. If angels don't look like sexy middle-aged men, then what do they look like?

"My true form is the approximate size of your Chrysler Building. And I am more a wavelength than anything." Dean immediately imagines Squidward's interpretive dance and starts laughing. Castiel shoots him a look of apprehension, but he can't help laughing.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. That shouldn't be funny. But…" Dean stops when Cas presses their foreheads together. The angel's eyes are closed, but he's active. Dean can feel him moving around in his head.

Cas pulls away. "That had been most enlightening." Needless to say, his face on the body of a crudely drawn squid moving in impossible motions is hardly flattering.

Dean only laughs harder and falls back onto Cas' bed. "You can read mind." He can't stop. Cas lies down next to him and just lets his neighbour laugh until he's done. It's a good few minutes before that actually happens. "You're awesome. I just thought I'd let you know that."

They lie in silence. Cas grabs a pillow and covers Dean's chest with it, earning himself a confused look. "You're distracting." Dean laughs. It's been a really long time since he's felt this free.

* * *

_A/N: So I just finished I Wish Circumstances Were Different and now I'm sad. But I really like just how happy this one is. Nothing really sad is going to happen. Even though my mind keeps wanting to drift towards a horrible plot twist where Dean is forced into a life he doesn't want. Or everyone dies. Or something like that. But I don't want that to happen. I want fluff. And joy. And I want them to fall in love slowly and then make sweet, sweet love. And when their feelings are reciprocated. All will be wonderful. As you can tell, my previous story made my pretty sad…I'm sure it's pretty obvious by how descriptive that demon scene was... And now, my dear listeners, I shall begin to write chapter 5. Hopefully it'll be up later this week. Love until the end of Time itself, love like Hazel and Augustus, love like Ten and Rose, love like Carlos and Cecil, and Derek and Stiles, and Finn and Rachel, and Marceline and Princess Bubblegum, and Alice and Cyrus, and John and Sherlock, and US and UK, and all those guys in that one anime, and the other anime, and more fandoms, and like sinks, beds, bookshelves, treehouses, batcaves, and so on. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! -Pxyie_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Special thank you to DemonsAndDolls and PuzzlingSmirk for reviewing. You're both wonderful! And as a response, not only do you get a new chapter dedicated to yourselves! BUT ALSO ANSWERS! NO! I swear, I will not make some awful plot twist where they all die. I swear it upon the Death himself. And also, this will continue to be fluffy and beautiful. Just for you. And because sad things make me...feel like death. Now! Shall we begin?_

* * *

FIVE

Weekend evening shenanigans continued for weeks. Then months. Dean had forgotten what it was like to have fun. And having Cas as a best friend? Awesome. All the times that they would stay up and drink with seemingly bottomless bottles of rum and vermouth and vodka. All the trilogies they'd watched together. And all the hangovers that Dean never got.

Even work is starting to get better. Anderson has stopped being a total dimwit and progressed into a halfwit. Not perfect, but getting there. He's starting to get home before ten o'clock, on some days, even before eight.

And the angel thing that Cas is still convinced will cause a problem is totally not a problem. They go out to movies and sometimes he makes this face like, 'Dafuq?'. But usually, they seem like two really good friends...with copious amounts of sexual tension.

Yes, they'd fallen asleep tangled together on a few occassions. So what? So Dean remembers that he had dry humped Cas in an inebriated state. So Dean stares at Cas' bare chest and wants to know what it feels like beneath his lips. And their eye contact. It always feels electric. Whether they're waking up together, or out to eat, or just drinking, every time, Dean feels as though his nerves are on edge.

But they ignore all of that.

Instead they cook and bake together, singing loudly to BIlly Joel or Cas sings along to his weird hipster music. But this is perfect. Dean's happy.

"Dean," Cas is drunk. "Let's go somewhere." He's half-cuddled on Dean's chest and lap. On a sofa. Dean's apartment? Has to be.

"Skillet's open now. Oh, wait…" Dean shakes his head, letting his chin rub against Cas' ear. "Public intoxication...is a...uh...crime."

"No, I mean. Phwwweeeeoooooo!" Cas makes the sound of a laser-spaceship hybrid, hand motions accompanied.

"You've lost me." Dean closes his eyes when he feels Cas stroking his face. It's a warm, soft sensation. But for a half second, his head reels. Maybe he does feel a little more than just friendship for his angel friend.

"Open your eyes." That warmth slips away from his face, but instead, his entire body is warm. Dean glances around.

"Where are we?"

"A hotel room." Dean looks up. And up and up and up to the ceiling which is way higher than it needs to be.

"A hotel room where?" Dean untangles himself from Cas and looks around the room in wonder.

"Barcelona." Sure enough. Dean glances outside and it's sunny. Still morning, clearly, but a different morning from what he and Cas had been enjoying. This the the time of morning when the world is awake and couples get brunch and sip coffee. He goes to the window and opens it up a bit. It's beautiful.

He turns and looks over at the creature lying languidly on the bed. His eyes are pinned on Dean. He feels small in comparison to this person near him. He's fully reminded that Cas isn't human. But fuck, this is kind of sexy. But no…this is something completely different. He _likes_ Cas.

"Cas?" The angel sits up to give Dean his full attention. "How do you feel about me?"

"Do you mean 'feel', 'feel feel', or '_feel_'?" Dean can hear the differences but…

"I don't…"

"'Feel' is just a expression. 'Feel feel' is a word for emotional representation of 'feel'. And '_feel_' is, well, is the metaphysical aspect, beyond emotions, approaching instinct, beyond choice to the realm where one cannot choose."

"How do you _feel_ about me?"

"Conflicted, but I know that the more we spend time together, the more vulnerable I make myself and I don't care. I feel as though gaining your trust is most important. More important that even my duties." Cas can't quite explain this _feel_.

"You feel _vulnerable_?" Well, that doesn't make a lick of sense. An angel, feeling vulnerable to a mere human. All things considered, Dean feels fucking intimidated by the being in front of him.

"On a level I shouldn't even be able to comprehend."

"What?"

"I'm an angel, Dean. A soldier. I'm not supposed to buy wine and live in an apartment and bake cookies with my neighbour. I slept with the mailman because the moment struck me. Who I still believe to be obscenely attractive." Cas shrinks into himself. "I caught a glimpse of your soul that night you were on your balcony and I couldn't resist speaking to you."

Now that Dean thinks about it, the idea of an angel just waltzing into his apartment seems incredible. You can't spell incredible without 'edible' and man, does Cas just look edible. "My soul got you into me?"

"It's so bright, Dean." Cas stands up and places a hand on Dean's chest. "I thought...someone with a soul so capable of life-altering love should not have to look so sad all the time. And I figured that if I could keep you soul bright, I would do what I can."

"What do your higher ups think of this?"

"They don't care. I do what I'm told, then I go back home. Heaven is too busy to deal with Seattle for too long." At that, Castiel actually looks a little relieved.

"So the brainwaves thing…"

"You secretly wanted to kiss me, Dean. Or...me you, rather. But I wasn't going to complain." Cas lets his hand drop from Dean's chest to his hand. "Now. We have an entire unexplored city beyond these wall, I don't want to spend our day off indoors. We do that enough at home."

Dean unconsciously squeezes Cas' hand and pulls him towards that door. But he's stopped. With a small shake of his head, Cas presses his fingers to Dean's forehead. They land somewhere outside. It's sunny and warm and beautiful outside.

"Let's get brunch."

It's weird. Dean's body still says it's night time, but the world around him says 'brunch'. And he just really wants some waffles.

The streets are smaller. The buildings are smaller. It's lovely. Quaint, but it feels so old. But modern-esque. Castiel lets Dean soak in the foreign country. The Angel just watches, fascinated, by just how happy Dean looks. And when those green eyes turn on him, Cas' chest clenches a bit.

"This is amazing, Cas…"

"I know. And it calls for a glass of wine."

They walk together through winding streets smushed between Romantic era buildings until Dean's eyes land on a small cafe. There's seating outside and it's pretty obvious that Dean longs to experience this as much as possible.

When they're seated, Dean lets out his little spurts of sheer excitement, saying many human euphemisms that Castiel just hadn't caught onto quite yet. But still, he lets him speak and express himself in a manner so foreign, that Cas just nods along with him.

"Dean...I have no idea what you're saying. But," Cas smiles. "I want you to know that this can be a recurring experience."

For a long moment, Dean is rendered speechless. "We can...come to Europe...again?"

"Of course."

Being an angel definitely comes with its perks. But Dean just continues to stare at this incredible being in front of him. Getting past the angellic part of his persona, Cas is just an amazing person just for being _who_ as opposed to _what_ he is.

Dean orders himself a _cafe con leche_ and a plate of some sweet things that Castiel had called _magdalenas_. It's a small meal, but nice. Delicious. Cas just sticks to coffee, watching in amusement as Dean munches on his pastries.

"You know, Dean...you're going to get fat with all of these sweets you've been eating."

Just to spite him, Dean takes practically inhales his entire _magdalena_, spreading crumbs on his cheeks for extra effect. "Yeah. I know."

Letting out a hearty laugh, Cas leans forward and brushes the crumbs from Dean's face. "Humans...you're all so strange."

"And freaking proud of it, man." Dean sits absolutely still while Cas touches his face as though any movement will make him pull away quickly.

Castiel sighs and lets his fingers fall from Dean's face. They remain silent for the rest of their early morning brunch. Dean insists that they go on a walk just to see more of Barcelona. The old cathedrals, the busy streets, people on mopeds.

When Dean starts yawning, Cas frowns. "Perhaps, Dean, It would be best if we head back home. You deserve your rest."

Dean shakes his head. "Nah, man. I'm fine, I just wanna keep looking." He glances up at the sky, watching foreign birds gleam in the sunshine. Everything feels shiny and new and sparkling. He walks into a small alley and Cas follows him.

"Do alleys interest you?"

Dean wanders through the alley with the most fascinated expression on his face. Cas can only watch, a warm feeling filling the expansion of his being. His chest clenches when Dean turns around and smiles brightly at Castiel.

"We should come back again soon." Dean smiles this amazingly bright smile and Cas does all he can to not stare. "C'mon man. Just once a month of something like that. Or maybe we can just make a retreat out it. Or…" Dean falters when Cas doesn't answer. "Or we can pretend like I never said anything."

Cas forces himself back to reality. _Dean wants to come back?_ His internal monologue is breaking him apart and suddenly, a smile, large and bright, forms on his face. "How does once a week sound?"

Dean is relieved to say the least. He had thought that he had overstepped his bounds as a neighbour-slash-friend. But, no. They're still okay. Everything is okay. He nods and closes his eyes as he feels Cas' fingers brush over his forehead.

When he opens his eyes again, they're back in his apartment. Life certainly is different, but he can't imagine going back four months to before they had met and living that day-in and day-out life.

_I wake to sleep and take my waking slow._

* * *

_A/N: So, my beautiful readers. To begin with, the final line of this chapter is from my favourite poem called 'The Waking' by Theodore Roethke. It speaks to me on an emotional level, but I think it describes the usual life of just about everyone who finds like to be like a fishbowl. Seeing beyond, but still confined to one little place. This fic isn't supposed to be so deep… Anyways! Please review! I love reviews! They motivate me and get me to write better because I think of the people beyond the screens of their electronics and I hope and I wish that each and every one of them enjoys my writings. Love always, Pyxie xx_


	6. Chapter 6

SIX

_A/N: Oh my Chuck! DemonsAndDolls! You're the best person ever! This chapter is dedicated solely to you. Your reviews make me the happiest girl at any masquerade ball. So without any further ado, Chapter Six! P.S. When I say 'football', I mean 'soccer', but American football (because it's ill-named). ONWARDS!_

* * *

Cas places and hand on Dean's forearm, wordlessly telling him to stay out of sight. Any type or reconnaissance mission like this must be taken very seriously and very carefully. Behind him, he can feel Dean's nerves buzzing. The anticipation for what is about to happen must be absolutely overwhelming. The door the apartment building opens and Dean takes an involuntary step forwards. Cas pushes him back and shoots him a reprimanding look.

Cold air from outside brushes over the both of them just as the door closes. Dean grips onto the hem of Castiel's shirt. And if this moment didn't feel so intense, Cas would have let himself feel some type of elation at being touched like this. Instead, he forces himself to look forwards and follow the movements of the man in front of them who's blissfully unaware of their presence.

Dean sucks in a breath. "Whoa…" Is hardly loud, but in the silence of the foyer, it's clearly audible. The man whips his head around, just as Cas forces Dean's back again the wall. Neither of them breathe for fear of the man hearing them. Or worse, seeing them. Cas' hand is over Dean's chest which makes the don't-breathe thing even harder. Dean's sure his heart is just going to bust out of his chest and he's also sure that Cas just doesn't notice.

The man returns to his prior actions: placing mail inside of mailboxes. It's early Saturday morning and Dean has had way too much to drink. But, damn, Cas had definitely been right. This guy is fucking hot. He's got the body of a football player, large hazel eyes, scruff, and he's just beautiful. If Dean were to place his face to an actor, probably Jim Sturgess. So, yeah, beautiful.

The mailman leaves and Cas lets his hand fall from Dean's chest. The angel looks at him with a triumphant smirk. "I told you, didn't I?"

"You sure did." Dean shakes his head and runs a hand over his face. "You slept with him?"

"Yep." They walk to the elevator and Cas just can't stop smiling. "It was nice."

Dean only makes a small grunt of approval. Or disapproval. It's kind of hard to tell. Cas sneaks a glance over at him, but isn't entirely shocked to see that Dean is kind of just...staring at the elevator doors. Together they walk over to their apartment doors.

And just stand there.

"So...my place or your place?"

Cas narrows his eyes and scrutinises each door. "Depends on what our needs are?"

"Right."

"Are we hungry?"

Dean looks down at his stomach. "I could do without food."

"Do we want television?"

"Eh."

Silence ensues between them. Cas turns to Dean. Dean turns to Cas. Both let out a huff of breath.

"We can go out for coffee?"

"Public intoxication is a crime."

"I can change that." Cas reaches forward and presses two fingers to Dean's head. And just like that, the alcohol is gone.

"I'm never gonna have a hangover again, am I?"

"Not if I can help it." Cas smiles and Dean smiles back. Then Dean casts a wary look at their doors.

"We just came all the way up here only to go all the way back down."

"Yeah...I can imagine that being human must be quite difficult." Cas places a hand on Dean's shoulder and whisks them away again.

Before Dean takes a look around, he's sure they're gonna be in Capitol Hill at Vivace or something, but no. But. No. Not at all.

"Where...where are we?"

"It's a little island off the coast of Greece." Castiel revels in the joy that Dean is exuming from just being in a different place.

"I want you to know that the reason I've never left the country is because I'm afraid of flying." Dean can't stop smiling. He'd looked at pictures of remote islands, convinced that he would never be able to see them. But...Cas has made it possible.

Castiel places a hand on Dean's shoulder to get him to make eye contact. He gives his charge an eyes-only smile only to be given one that just about melts his heart.

Truth be told, Dean would be perfectly content with just wandering around this little isle. But apparently there's a little fishing community that Cas wants to bring him to. So they go. And Dean walks through the tiny, crowded streets, his eyes scanning over the stands. Close behind him, he can feel Cas just a few inches away, letting Dean satiate his curiosity.

"Spanakopita?" Cas is suddenly right in front of Dean, holding out to him a small, flakey pastry-like thing. Without hesitation, Dean takes it and pops it in his mouth.

Instantly, his face squeezes up. "That's spinach."

"It is. I figured that perhaps something a bit more healthy than sweets would do you good. But I suppose I was wrong. How about some baklava?"

This next one kind of looks the same, but the dough is sticky with sugar. When Dean takes a bite, his entire face lights up. "That's amazing." He doesn't realise that he's closed his eyes or that he's making sex sounds until he meets Cas' eyes again. And...oh, gods above. That expression is most certainly hunger.

Dean swallows thickly. His breath speeds up. His heart threatens to pump right out of his chest. For what could be seconds, but felt like hours, they just stare at each other. A child runs past them and the trance is broken. Cas regains his usual aloof expression and Dean, well, he keeps eating.

They continue walking and Dean keeps sneaking glances at Cas. He can't help it. He can't stop staring at those lips, that neck, farther down, his hips. Hot damn, those hips. God himself must have hand-sculpted this man.

Dean doesn't notice when this happens, but soon they're sitting on a beach with each other, baklava and wine between them. The sand is warm and the sky is beautiful and the ocean is so freaking blue it's abnormal. He looks over at Cas. No. Cas' eyes are way bluer than the ocean could ever even dream to be.

_Beyond emotions_, is what Cas had said. To himself, Dean nods. He leans forwards to Cas and presses the smallest of kisses on his cheek.

"In a realm beyond choice." Dean says.

A smile grows on Castiel's face and he ducks his head. He had always thought that if he extended his brainwaves just a little bit more, Dean would return his display of affections. But he never did that. It would have felt dishonest. But this kiss...this had been all Dean. Dean kissed him.

"Thank you."

* * *

It's not until Dean starts to overheat that Cas decide that it's time to go home. He zaps them back to the outside of their apartments.

Cas rocks back on his heels while he thinks of something to say. "Dean, I think that for the rest of-"

He stops when he feels Dean's arms wrap around his waist. Almost immediately, Cas returns the hug. It's warm and tight and he relishes the feeling of being held this close. His mind goes blissfully blank.

"What were you saying?" Dean's voice is so close. He can feel the other's breath ghost across his ear.

"That you should sleep for the rest of the day…" Cas' voice comes out quiet, hardly a whisper.

"Probably…"

Silence falls over them. Cas pulls Dean even closer to him and presses his face into his neck. The smell of leather, beaches, and _Dean_. The smell of home. Silence falls over them again. It seems to be a common occurrence today.

Slowly, they pull away from each other. Only a breath apart. Cas' eyes dart to Dean's lips. Dean's eyes close. And just like that, they move closer together. Their lips touch. Cas falls and Dean is there to keep him up.

Dean's hands wander, no pretense for whether something is allowed or not. Their tongues caress against each other. Neither of them battle for dominance. Cas grows a little bold and gently nips at Dean's bottom lip. They could be kissing for minutes. Or seconds. Or, hell, even hours.

Cas runs his fingers through Dean's hair and cradles his head in his hand, holding him close. They pull away, just enough to still have their lips brushing. Every so often, Dean licks or bites at the angel's lips. The human's hands wander, farther and farther down. They stop at the small of his back and slide around to his hips, pulling them flush.

It takes a few moments of serious realisation to really give Cas that satisfying feeling of epiphany. They're kissing. Cas pulls away completely and smiles at Dean. A smile, he's sure, is considered hapless. He knows, because the same smile is reflected on Dean's face.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Dean presses a few lingering kisses on Cas' lips and then disappears into his apartment.

Cas doesn't go home. He spends the rest of the afternoon visiting random places on Earth just to expel energy.

_A/N: WHOO! It happened, everybody! They didn't make love because I think it's unrealistic for people to just go at it when they fall for someone like this. Also! Cas didn't literally fall or fall in the sense of being an angel-fall. So, yeah. It's much more abstract than that. Please review! And DemonsAndDolls, I hope you enjoyed your chapter! -Pyxie xx_


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: This is basically what being in love is like. Or at least...falling in love is like. And I felt like I was leaving out a certain person..._

* * *

There's a knock on Dean's door. Normal. Which meant it isn't Cas. Dean walks out into his living room and down the hall to his front door. He doesn't bother checking through the peephole before pulling the door open.

"Hi Dean." Standing, towering in the doorway is Sam, a smile stretched across his face.

Dean instantly pulls his brother into a hug. "Hey, Sammy. How are you?" He manages to tug his Samsquatch in the foyer and kick the door closed. "You're freaking ginormous!"

"I know. It's a wonder we're even related." Sam hugs Dean back just as enthusiastically. He instantly notices a change in his brother's demeanour. He's happier, nicer, healthier. "Who's the girl?"

Dean pulls away and goes into his kitchen while Sam takes his shoes off. "What are you talking about?"

"The reason you're so happy. What's her name?" Sam leans against one of the counters in the kitchen and watches as Dean starts to brew coffee. "Look, you even grind your own coffee."

"That's because they didn't have just the grind." Dean looks at the bag of coffee beans that he and Cas had gotten in Barcelona. It's close to halfway down the bag and the pang of wanting to return to hits him hard.

"Dean, you've got it so bad." Sam's face is the epitome of smug and he knows it. When Dean gets a little flustered and starts looking around his kitchen for something to occupy his hands, that look on Sam's face grows a bit.

"Whatever, Sammy."

"It's Sam, jerk."

"Bitch."

And just like that they're back to normal again. Dean brews them up some coffee and for a while they just stay silent as they drink their liquified caffeine.

Sam speaks up after a few minutes of comfortable silence. "You know...I haven't been to Seattle in a few years… I think maybe we should go do something."

"Yeah, Sammy. Depends on how long you'll be here for."

"About a week."

Dean stiffens. That's definitely long enough for him to meet Cas, but not quite long enough for them to have a grasp on each other's personalities. What would Dean do if they ended up not liking each other? But Cas is an angel, so… And Sam's always been in that whole God-scene. So… it probably won't be all that bad…

"Well...I want you to know I still work this week. I can call off on Friday or something and we can go for drinks." Whoa, A weekend when Dean stays in Seattle… It's kind of been a while. Mentally, he makes a list of where he's been with Cas: Barcelona, Greece, Rome, Paris, St. Petersburg-

"Dean!" Sam snaps his fingers in front of Dean's face to grasp his attention. "Focus."

"Right, yeah. We'll do stuff. There's a little restaurant here I think you might like."

"Okay." Sam cradles his coffee in his hands, suddenly nervous. "Hey...about your neighbour…"

"What about him?"

"What's he like…?"

"You can meet him." Dean suggests none too lightly. Truthfully, just the thought of the two of them meeting each other causes a small amount of nausea to enter his system, but he tries his best to fend it off.

But it's kind of now or never.

* * *

Cas stares at his ceiling in awe. Every imperfection is in its own way, simplistically perfect. He doesn't quite know how he's feeling. It's been a couple of days since the kiss with Dean, and that euphoria that he had felt initially has yet to wear off. He closes his eyes in an attempt to redirect his exothermic reactionary energy more inward. But that isn't working. He's still glowing. He can feel it. He closes his eyes and tries to quell that jubilation that bores down into his very core.

And then there's a knock on his door.

Castiel is momentarily relieved for the distraction, until he realises just who it is knocking on his door. And just like that, that euphoria is back ten-fold. It takes all of his control to answer the door like a normal person. But that doesn't mean he has to _walk_ to his door like a normal person. He zaps over and then opens the door. At least he isn't glowing anymore. And if he is, it's probably not too noticeable.

"Heya, Cas." Dean leans against the door frame and looks over Castiel's body in appreciation.

"Hello, Dean." A large figure moving just behind Dean shocks Cas out of his euphoria. "And…"

"Sam." The large figure holds out his hand and Cas looks at it in shock. Then slowly shakes it. "I've heard quite a bit about you."

Cas nods and looks at Dean. "Does he know?"

"Yep, I told him everything." _Everything_….does that mean… Dean seems to understand Cas' state of confusion. "About you." The clarification hits Cas hard, but he doesn't show it.

"So you must know I'm an angel, Sam." He holds the door open for them and they walk over the Devil's trap.

"I do. Dean called me as soon as you vanished from his apartment." Sam looks at Cas with unashamed awe. "Wow…"

Cas blushes a bit and looks down. Dean laughs. "Geez, Sammy. Make him as uncomfortable as possible, why don't you?" He rolls his eyes and places a hand on Cas' shoulder in comfort.

Sam looks at the touch and blinks in shock. Dean getting touchy with someone? No...it must just be because Castiel is an angel.

Cas smiles at the hand on his shoulder, but tries his best to hide his euphoria at being touched by Dean. "I made cookies this morning." He says suddenly and disappears into his kitchen, leaving Sam and Dean in the living room.

Sam turns to his brother with wide eyes. "Dean...he's an angel. And I'm going to eat his cookies." His whisper is urgent and excited. It's all that Dean can do to not laugh at his brother's reactions. But it's actually just kind of cute. Seeing ever-logical Sam take something incredibly improbable to be truth so quickly. "I'm really excited to try his baking. What's it like? You said it's always perfect."

Cas' voice pipes up from the kitchen. "Sam...I'd just like to let you know I can hear you. I am a celestial being…" And if that isn't snark in his voice, Dean doesn't know what it is. But Castiel is being so incredibly snarky. "It's my way of dealing with things, Dean."

"Did he just read your mind?"

Dean doesn't respond… Brain waves can't possibly be that strong.

Cas walks out a few moments later, a plate full of cookies in his hands. "You'd be surprised just how loudly you think, Dean. I can hear you in your apartment sometimes." And that smirk. How long has Cas known that Dean's wanted him for. "Long enough."

"That's incredible…" Sam looks at Castiel with renewed awe and takes a cookie when offered to him. It's warm to the touch as though they'd just come out of the oven.

Cas narrows his eyes and Dean recognises that as his 'I just got a job' look. Cas winks and grabs a bottle of wine. "For the separation anxiety while I'm out." He hands it to Dean with a small lick of his lips that goes straight to Dean's groin and then vanishes.

Sam freaks out.

And even that is an understatement. "Dean!" Sam steps into the recently vacated airspace that had just been Castiel. "Holy heavens. Oh, God. He just...whoa!" He waves his arms around as though trying to reach out to the incorporeal mass that he thinks could be an angel. "How is that…" For someone who's attending Stanford's law school, Sam sure isn't all that eloquent.

Dean can't help but laugh. His mind goes to how indifferent Sam had been when he had first called about living next door to an angel. "You should sit down." He gets Sam to sit down on Cas' rug and together they begin breathing exersises. Truthfully, Dean doesn't care too much for proper breathing, but Sam looks like he's about ten seconds away from hyper-respiratory combustion. And Dean isn't even all that sure that's entirely possible. But hey, angels and demons are real, so...everything else is just suspect. However improbable, it could still be possible.

"Shut up. Just...gimme a bit to adjust." Sam lies down and closes his eyes. He's clearly being very observant about the insides of his eyelids. And who can blame him. They're beautiful in there.

Dean lies back next to Sam and they stay silent for a long period of time. Neither of them move with Castiel reappears. It couple have been minutes or hours, but eventually Cas is standing over the both of them, a quizzical expression on his face.

"Hello, Winchesters. Am I interrupting?"

Dean shakes his head. "I'm trying to achieve a metaphysical stasis."

"I'm rubbing off on you." Cas sits next to Dean and brushes the back of his hand against Dean's arm. "Not that I mind though."

Dean smiles at the small contact. He knows that from Sam's angle, he can't see their contact. And he knows that he shouldn't be scared of Sam finding out about how he feels about a certain angel. But perhaps it's too soon.

"What's it like transporting places?" Sam finally speaks up.

"I can show you." And with those words, Dean is sincerely tempted to start singing _Aladdin,_ but for the sake of everyone else in that room, he doesn't. Cas gently grips onto Dean's forearm and then reaches over to press two fingers to Sam's forehead. "Let's go."

They're sitting. It's the first thing that Dean notices. The second thing is the heat. And the feeling of sunshine. Sam is on his feet in an instant. Cas' hand is still on Dean's arm, just to relish in the feeling. And of course, Sam doesn't notice.

"Wow…" He breathes. They aren't anywhere Sam had ever even seen in pictures before. It's beautiful, aquatic, warm, but not dreadfully so. "Where are we?"

"The southern coast of Madagascar. Try not to wander too far." There they are, barefoot and business casual on the beaches of a foreign nation.

Sam sits down on the sand and runs his fingers through it. It's soft and hot. Suddenly, he doesn't care for his pants getting damaged or life or even school. No thoughts of having to take finals in a few weeks. It doesn't matter to him. Not now, anyways.

Dean observes his brother with quiet reservation. He can't remember the last time Sammy had such a serene expression on his face. No bitch faces, no worry lines, no contemplating. No, actually. When he first met Jess early in his college years, that was when he had looked happy. And Dean hasn't seen him look happy since. Not to say that Jess doesn't still make him happy, but honeymoon periods end.

Cas slips his hand into Dean's a gives it a small squeeze before pulling away. But he doesn't get far. Dean's arm wraps gently around his waist and pulls him close. "Thank you, Cas." He says ang gently presses a kiss to his angel's cheek.

No worries, no problems. Nothing like that. Not in their little corner of the universe.

* * *

_A/N: I beg all of you for forgiveness. I'm so sorry this took so long to upload. I just...I had so much to do. I haven't slept in past 8 o'clock since about two weeks ago, weekends included. And also, it's not finished. It's not. I promise you. It kind of feels that way, but why would I end this without more romance? And it's rated M...so… yeah. Love always, Pyxie xx_


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Okay, everybody! I'm pretty fond of this chapter. I know. I know. I'm horrible. But I love you. So much. And I just want you to remember that. Plus, I made a promise. So...yeah. And DemonsAndDolls, my dear, beautiful, lovely friend, you are a psychic and I am honoured to have you reading this -Pxyie_

* * *

Dean is sitting at his table finishing up Tuesday's paperwork when a random person appears in his dining room. He's kind of gotten used to Castiel just kind of popping up whenever, but this isn't Castiel.

"Are you Dean Winchester?" The voice is commanding and seems to come from everywhere at once.

Dean stands from his seat quickly and then moves closer to the wall. Away from this person. "Who wants to know?"

"My name is Gabriel." The voice is less intense now, but it still reverberates in Dean's soul. "I'm an archangel." And then his voice gets really soft. "Dean…"

Dean really doesn't like that tone of voice. He's always called them funeral voices. His parents are dead. He knows what funeral voices sound like. Dean slumps against the wall and searches Gabriel's face carefully.

"Dean...I really hate being the bearer of bad news, but you need to know…" Gabriel takes small steps towards Dean, his hand outstretched in a peaceful manner. "It's Castiel…"

"What about him?" Dean's suddenly piqued in morbid curiosity. "Where is he?"

"I'm afraid...that as immortal as we may seem...Angels do die…And...Castiel, he...he…" Gabriel walks to Dean and places a hand on his shoulder.

A deep feeling of being crushed overwhelms him and he just stands there. "No...please...no…"

"Dean, I'm so sorry…But I needed to deliver the news." With a final pat, Gabriel lends a half-smile and then vanishes.

Everything moves in a sort of haze after that. The mere thought of Castiel passing had never even occurred to Dean. Not once. Never. All the trips they had taken together. All of the baking adventures. All of the stares that they'd shared. Their single kiss. All the words that Dean had wished he'd said.

Dean's curled up on his floor, a fifth of whiskey clutched in his hand. There's grief that's completely embodied his soul.

"Dean? What are you doing?" Dean must be hallucinating. Castiel is standing over him, his expression not entirely happy. "How many chick flicks have you watched?"

"You aren't real…" Dean brings himself to say. "But whatever you're saying is so much like you. Like you're alive…" He curls more into himself. "I just…"

Castiel blinks in morbid surprise. He crouches next to Dean and runs a hand through his human's hair. "Dean. I don't know what you're talking about, but I _am_ alive. What gave you the idea that I'm not?"

Dean laughs, broken and dismal. "Some archangel came down and told me…" He tries to press harder into the touch to his head, but he falters and then shakes his head.

Cas narrows his eyes. "What was his name?"

"Gabriel."

Castiel takes his hand from Dean's head and then stands up quickly, his face angled to the ceiling. "Gabriel! Loki! You get your lying ass down here, you son of a bitch!"

Dean sits up at the intensity of Castiel's voice. This hallucination is fucking intense. He wipes at his bleary eyes. And there's that archangel. A smirk on his face. Dean stands up and searches out Castiel's hand. Cas gives his hand a small squeeze before turning his fury upon Gabriel.

"What did you say to him?"

Gabriel laughs. "I just wanted to hurry things along a bit. I knew you'd be over later today. Look, it hasn't even been an hour. The grieving process has just begun."

Cas steps forwards quickly and grabs Gabriel by the front of the shirt. "I'll be back soon, Dean." And with those final words, the two angels vanish.

Well...at least he's alive.

Dean stares down at his whiskey and glares at his apartment. It doesn't smell too much like alcohol and Castiel's presence alone had been able to cleanse it just a bit. He sits down on his sofa and stares blankly at his television. His mind is severely confused. Had he just imagined all of that? It's probably just some kind of fucked up dream and he'd wake up soon and everything will be normal again. Or maybe this whole angel business is just a dream. Maybe he's in a coma and angels don't really exist and-

Nope. No, this is pretty real. Dean sets his whiskey on his coffee table and stares blankly ahead until Sam returns home.

"Dean…?" Sam plops down next to his brother and nudges him with his shoulder. "Look at you. What the hell happened? Are you okay?"

For an answer, Dean makes a small grunt of what sounds like it could be affirmation. But it sounds more like a 'mergh'.

"Okay." Sam rolls his eyes. "Okay. So. Does this have something to do with Castiel?"

Dean doesn't answer and he drops his eyes to stare at his whiskey bottle. Okay, so now they're getting somewhere. Sam places a hand on his brother's elbow.

"Where is he?"

"Out."

Sam looks around the room. Cas had been here? The living room smells vaguely of forests and soil and kind of alcohol. Dean had told him that he and Cas had a tendency of intaking copious amounts of alcohol.

"Alright...so is he okay?"

Dean's eyes flash and he rubs at his eyes. "I think so...another angel had come in earlier and told me he was dead. And now he's alive, I think…? I want to think he is, anyways."

"It smells like him in here."

Cas chooses that moment to reappear, Gabriel standing next to him. They seem to be in high spirits. Seemingly in high spirits.

Castiel walks around the table and sits in front of Dean. "Hello. I'm here. Are you?"

Dean searches out Cas' shoulder and squeezes it. "I'm here." He leans forwards and presses his lips to his angel's. And he just doesn't care if his brother can see them.

Sam's eyes are ready to pop out of his head. This isn't a development that he had been ready for. Gabriel's laugh behind him, kind of shocks him out of his confusion. But not enough. He watches them kiss and, wait...is that tongue? Oh, yeah...that's a tongue. Or two. Oh great.

"Okay, Sam Winchester. You don't have to watch them that closely." Gabriel pulls Sam off of the sofa and takes him into the kitchen.

It really doesn't bother Sam that his brother is gay for an angel, but that doesn't mean that it's a shock. Usually, there's a conversation and a dinner and a, 'Hey, Sam, this is my current lover. He's an angel and we like to make out'. No, that didn't happen this time. Honestly, it's kind of nice that Dean's found somebody. He hasn't been with anyone for a few years. And Cas seems like a good choice. And it kind of makes sense that Dean would fall for an angel. And they don't understand the concept of personal space and undressing each other with their eyes is a common occurrence.

"Sam." Gabriel waves his hand in front of Sam's face to grab his attention. "How are ya holding up in there?"

"Fine. I'm...I'm fine…" Sam blinks and then looks at Gabriel with wide eyes. "Wait...are you the other angel that told Dean that Cas died?"

"I am."

Sam frowns and crosses his arms. "Why? What made you tell him that?"

"To speed things along." Gabriel snaps his fingers and a 'Whatchamacallit' appears in his hand. "Look, they want each other, clearly...but I didn't know that they'd already admitted their love to each other. In some form or other."

Sam blinks. "They've already…" He frowns. "And he didn't tell me?"

He walks back into the living room to see, thankfully, that they've stopped kissing. But are now just hugging, tightly, closely. Dean's face is hidden in Castiel's neck and his shoulders are shaking. And now he doesn't really care that he's the last person in on this relationship. He's just happy to see his brother this happy.

"Look at 'em." Gabriel nudges Sam with his elbow, winks, and then disappears.

Sam slowly sneaks out of the apartment and into the hallway. This is good. He could go for a little walk around Seattle. It's been a while. And since it's kind of nice outside, he doesn't mind being sexiled. It isn't even his apartment. And Dean needs his time with his Cas...Fremont. Go see Lenin.

* * *

Neither Dean nor Cas hear Sam leave, and even if he was still around, it wouldn't exactly matter to either of them. Dean is just relishing in the fact that Cas is actually alive. His words are shot. And he can't even think of actual words to say, so it's a pretty good thing that he doesn't even try to speak. Instead, he just keep Cas as close to him as he can, tugging, pulling, clutching, holding.

"Dean…" Cas pulls back just a few inches to look Dean in the eye. "I'm not going anywhere. I just want you to know that." His thumb traces over Dean's bottom lip, his fingers tracing over his cheeks, down his neck, just to feel him.

"I know...I just…" Dean shakes his head. He hasn't cried in years. Not since the death of his parents. And now he just wants to curl up on Cas' chest and cry big crocodile tears. But he's barely holding himself together. "I thought I lost you…"

"It takes way more than just a few demons to get rid of me, Dean." Castiel presses his lips to Dean's, pulling him in by the back of his neck to keep him close.

This horrible desperation in the actual moment where he had actually thought that he had lost his Cas. The feeling of acute loneliness so strong that he had decided to crawl into a fifth of whisky and stay there for an undeterminable amount of time had consumed him completely to the point where he stopped caring about everything. About work tomorrow, about his bills, and even about Sammy.

But now, here they are, lips pressed together, fingers twining in each other's hair, eyes squeezed shut. This is...perfect. Dean pulls away, but only a bit, his forehead touching Castiel's. "Beyond choice, right?" Cas nods. "I'm choosing this."

And if that isn't the girliest thing that has ever left Dean Winchester's mouth, he can't think of anything else. But he means it, with every fibre of his being and every iota of his soul. He means it.

Cas blinks. Pause. Euphoria, sheer jubilation engulfs him. "Dean…" It's all he can do to bring them somewhere. A place with a bit more space.

When they land, Dean takes a step back and looks around them. The field looks like something straight out of a fantasy film, complete with a celestial blue sky. A tree, silver, beautiful, towers not too far from them. His eyes take in the moss they're standing on. How soft it is beneath his socked feet.

Something flickers in his periphery. Dean slowly looks at Cas, his eyes getting wider with each sight flicker. Spread out ten feet in both direction, are ebony wings. Incandescent in the sunlight. Greens and blues shimmering in and out of existence depending on which direction the light hits them.

Dean doesn't realise he's taken several steps back to get the full picture of this fully angel being in front of him. His heart skips a beat, then beats back full force, threatening to pop of his chest in some cartoonish caricature of real life.

Castiel is beautiful. Even his eyes are glowing with the full power of his existence. A small smile is on his face and he looks perfectly content and more.

"Dean…" Despite the truly ethereal vision that he's become, Cas' voice is soft, gentle. His wings fold against his back and Dean watches the movement, completely enthralled. "Are you okay?"

Dean manages a nod and walks into Cas' open arms. There are words he wants to say. Words that he's sure he's able to say if he could speak. Words that...really don't need saying, the more he thinks about it. He touches his lips to his angel's forehead. "We can be friends…" He quotes.

"We can be anything we want to be." Cas understands the reference immediately and is a bit surprised to hear Dean say it. But it warms his heart and his Grace.

* * *

_A/N: Okay. I just want you all to know that I love you so much that I'm writing this in public. And posting it in public. So yeah. I hope you like it. 'We can be friends. We can be anything we want to be.' is from _L'elegance du le Herisson (The Elegance of the Hedgehog)_ and it was previously mentioned in either chapter 2 or chapter 3. Also, about my vocabulary, I got a little excited. I just declared my literature and chemistry major...so...I'm like, 'WHOA! WORDS!' And yeah. In Fremont, Seattle, Washington, there is a statue of the Soviet Revolutionary, Lenin, and it's kinda cool. Enormous, actually. Please review. You know I love them. It feels like I've accomplished something amazing. Love all of you -Pyxie_


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: I'm actually just in love with these two. And thus far, the ending is nowhere in sight if I can help it. Gabriel will make frequent appearances. As for Sabriel...I don't know. I don't know if I want them to get together. So, if anyone has any suggestions on such, please let me know. Should Sam have his own personal angel? Or no? Or yes? Or...no…? Also, I'm taking them to Night Vale at some point in time. Just to let all of you know. -Pyxie_

Dean presses his hand against the bark of the silver tree, his other hand trailing absently, gently through the feathers of Castiel's left wing. The bark is more paper than anything, but not a birch. It's a special kind of tree. Beautiful, soft, with gentle curves and bright green leaves. Dean isn't entirely sure why he's staring at this tree as though it contains all of life's secrets, but he does find some form of solace in it.

"You read the book." Cas' voice is quiet, slightly pained, and rather husky. And right in Dean's ear.

Dean turns to look Cas in the eyes. Pupils dilated, cheeks flushed, and pulse, presumably, elevated. "I did. It was awesome. Is awesome. Paloma...she...she's an interesting one. Sad ending though." He recalls the final few chapters in his mind and presses his face into Cas' neck, nuzzling close to him. His fingers press just a little harder into the wing he has his hand on and he revels in hitch of breath in his ear.

"I believe humans would call you a tease, Dean."

"I'm just trying to make sure you're still here."

The amount of time that Dean will continue using this as an excuse may last forever. Forever. Just so that he can get away with things that he probably shouldn't be allowed to get away with. How frequently can he inappropriately touch Cas with the excuse that he's scared he's going to die?

"Perhaps, one day soon, we'll watch the movie together. I feel you might like it." Cas is trying his best to keep his voice level. "It's mostly about how mundane life is. But it's lovely."

Dean nods, finally dropping his hand from Castiel's wing and turning to lean his back against the tree. His eyes trail up and down the other's body, soaking in the vision present before him. "We can watch it when Sammy leaves in a couple of days." Not that he wants his brother to leave. It's been so long since he's seen him

"Okay."

They stay in companionable silence for a few moments, just watching each other's movements with intense focus. And Dean is pretty sure Cas is counting his freckles.

"Hey, Cas…" Dean sucks up his nerves. "You said...one night when we were drunk...that you wouldn't show me your wings because they're too intimate…"

Cas really shouldn't have been dreading this moment, considering just how close they've become. But that doesn't mean he necessarily wants to talk about it. He nods slowly. "I said that we'd have to share a bond. Dean." Cas' voice takes on a serious tone and he looks at Dean with his soul-crushing stare. "Angels' wings, Dean, are incredibly sensitive."

"What kind of sensitive?" Dean takes the liberty of pulling Cas into a hug, his fingers drifting to the base of his wings.

Cas' breath hitches and he represses a moan. A shiver courses through his body and he presses as close to Dean as their corporeal beings will allow. "Orgasmic kind of sensitive. And more." He kisses and nibbles at Dean's neck to take his mind off of the fingers in his wing. But gives him a particularly hard bite when Dean touches a rather sensitive area.

"We should go home…" Dean suggests. Cas' wings raise and flap once. And they're in Castiel's bedroom. Dean's eyes widen at the display. "Wow...you're amazing."

"And you're insufferable." Cas growls and he presses his lips hard against Dean's. Surprisingly, Dean is pliant, and allows himself to be manhandled by Cas.

Dean's shirt is the first article of clothing to go. He pulls back and looks speculatively at Cas' shirt and then at his wings, only to be laughed at. With a chuckle, Cas just pulls his shirt off and Dean watches in fascination and his wings pass through the fabric as though it's nonexistent.

"You're amazing." Dean presses close to Cas again, his fingers seeking out those feathers, relishing the moan he's awarded.

They grind against each other, trying achieve a that perfect amount of friction. Together, they stumble back, pulling at each other's clothes until they're bared to each other, and end up on Cas' bed. Dean's hard, hot, and excited. Cas is reaching this state of unmanageable euphoria. And fingers on his wings isn't helping. Not how Dean tugs hard and then pets as if in consolation for being a little rough. No, this is intense. Cas pulls away to kiss his way down Dean's jaw and neck then to suckle on his clavicle.

The building feeling is mutually rushing to both of them to slow down. Dean takes a deep breath and drops his head onto the bed, his eyes either squeezed shut or wide open, his hips slowly gyrating against his angel's. It isn't sex. It isn't fucking. Or even making love. They're...doing something different, Dean can feel it. Cas can tell, too. And if he knows what it is, he isn't letting Dean in on the details.

The slow their frantic movements, to enjoy the feeling of skin against skin, lips against neck, fingers twined in feathers. Dean gets the idea to squeeze the base of the wings. Cas arches his back and sits up straight, his wings extending fully, his lips parted, and a low moan slipping past tongue and teeth and lips. A pulse shudders through the room as Cas finishes. A white light engulfs a five foot radius around them. It's the strangest sensation Dean has ever felt when follows Cas. His body shudders and a comforting heat spreads through his veins and arteries and capillaries. His fingers tighten a little bit more in the wings before they drop down to Cas' bare thighs.

Cas slumps on Dean's chest, panting heavily. His eyelids feel heavy. Hell, his entire body feels heavy. He hums contentedly into Dean's skin. "That was nice."

"Better than the mailman?" Dean manages.

"Better than anything." Cas raises his head to look at Dean. "You're a strange one, Dean. Most people wouldn't mention other people after having just committed an act of intimacy."

"I was just curious."

"It's okay if you're jealous. But you have no cause to be. You touched my wings…" Castiel's face flushes and his licks his lips. "Oh so much…" He shakes his head. "We're beyond intimate."

"And maybe one day we'll try actual…" Dean makes the crude hand motions for what is supposed to mean anal penetration. And Cas doesn't have the energy to, but he laughs anyways.

"You're mad."

"Yeah, I've been told." Dean lays his head back and pulls Cas close. "But we should sleep for a bit. I know you're an angel, but...even for you that must have been exhausting."

Cas smiles, wrapping his arm tight around Dean's waist. "I think sleeping is a good idea."

* * *

_A/N: So...this wasn't supposed to turn into sex...it kind of just happened. Uhm...yeah...so. I guess I'm sorry, but not sorry. Uh...I'm sorry it's short...I guess...ALSO! SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! Love you all so much! -Pyxie_


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: Alright. No idea where this is going. And I think a certain angel might appear. Just for you, my beautiful Demon. Can I be your doll? And to my other followers and reviewers. You! Yes, you! I love you. My entire soul just glows with extreme joy whenever you favourite me and like me and make me feel like a majestic centaur! ONWARDS! -PYXIE! psimhyperrightnowihopeyoudontmind_

* * *

A knock woke both of them. Frantic knocking. Really loud, frantic, crazy, panicky knocking. Dean groans and presses his face into Cas' chest. He overlooks that they had switched positions in the night and mutters obscenities into the soft, warm skin of Mr. Angel-Man.

"Alright. I'll answer it." Cas rolls his eyes and climbs out of bed. He almost leaves straight away to answer the door, but realises his state of nakedness and pulls on a pair of pants. And, after a moment's contemplation, a shirt. He takes a glance at Dean and marvels in this beautiful human being that has himself sprawled out on his bed. Green eyes blink up at him warily, a small smile pulls at those perfect lips.

"I was kind of hoping you'd answer the door naked." And Dean's sleep laden voice is perfect. Just all of him is perfect.

Castiel smiles. "Only for you, Dean."

With a wink, he leaves the bedroom and walks into his living room to answer the door. Definitely not the person he'd been expecting. Well, he hadn't been expecting anyone. Probably Sam if anybody, asking where his brother is. But, no. Of course not.

"Hello, Cassie." Balthazar strides into Cas' apartment and looks around the room. "This isn't what I'd been expecting."

"Neither are you." Cas sighs and closes the door. He turns to his friend and watches as Balthazar picks up random items and then sets them down. Not that there's much to pick up.

"You were much harder to find than I had originally thought. We've all been curious about you." Balthazar blinks, turns his head towards the bedroom, and then smirks. "Oh, Cassie…"

"Balthazar…" Cas warns.

"A human. You're shagging a human. What's it like? What's her name?"

"Dean." Standing in just a pair of jeans, Dean is in the hallway, staring at the both of them in confusion.

"Oh. Not what I expected. But, hey. Why not? _Viva la vida_ and all that." Balthazar smiles at Dean and slowly rakes his eyes down the human's body. "Actually...much more than what I expected."

Dean stiffens up Balthazar's scrutiny, but rolls his eyes to hide his unease. "Right." Dean cautiously enters the living room, glancing around as though to make sure another Angel won't make an unexpected appearance.

Cas nods. "So. What are you doing here? And how did you find me?"

"The elementary way, Cassie." Cas flinches at the nickname. "I burned a map. And then I had to search this entire city. Clean of demons. Good job, by the way." Balthazar smiles brightly at the two of them and then goes into the kitchen. "You've turned into an alcoholic, Cas. Look at all this scotch!" He pours himself a glass and then poofs back into the living room. "Also...it's eight o'clock on a Wednesday morning."

Dean swears and looks down. He doesn't quite want to leave yet, can't leave yet, but work calls. Or he could just call out sick.

"Don't worry about me, Dean. Balthazar has always been a friend." Cas lets Dean out through the front door and then shuts it behind him. He opens his mouth to say something, when there's a knock at his door. He signals for Balth to wait before he opens it.

"I almost forgot." Dean leans forwards and presses a kiss to Cas' lips, holding him in by the back of his neck gently. "I'll bring dinner back tonight." And then he slips back into his apartment, leaving Cas flushed at his front door.

"What's it like, Cas? Being with him? Different, right?" Balthazar leans against a wall and watches Cas with an even stare as the other angel closes his front door.

Castiel absentmindedly licks his lips and turns to look at Balthazar with a curious stare. "What do you mean? I've had sex before."

"But you two haven't actually done the deed, have you? Not fully anyways." Balthazar chuckles and sets his glass down on the breakfast nook, then places both of his hands on Cas' shoulders. "At least you can't go around making nephilims. That would be bad. But hey, love is love, right?"

Cas looks down and blushes. "I suppose...But, tell me, you didn't come down here to talk about my current relationship. Why are you here?"

At that, Balthazar drops his hands from Cas' shoulders and sighs. "Always straight to business with you. At least when it comes to other angels." He shrugs. "I just wanted to know why you're hiding from us."

"I am not hiding."

"Don't lie. This entire place is warded. Why don't you want to see us?" Balthazar crosses his arms.

Cas remains silent as he contemplates telling Balthazar. "Alright. Fine. I just...don't want anyone finding Dean. And if you know how to find me-"

"Cassie, I'm insulted." Balthazar straight out pouts.

Cas can't help but chuckle. He didn't mean to insinuate that Balthazar is, by any means, lacking in intelligence. In fact, if anything, Balthazar is one of the most cunning characters he's had the pleasure of conversing with. But really, the tactic isn't all that difficult to find them. And he really wants Dean to be safe and not in danger just for being in cahoots with a supernatural being.

"Forgive me, my friend." Castiel runs a hand through his hair. "I have done nothing to cause alarm for our higher ups. Nor have I brought attention to myself. And I intend to keep it this way."

"Because you're in love." Balthazar sings. "And I get it. I know the feeling."

"You?" Cas says doubtfully. "You've been in love?"

"Again. Insulted." Balthazar looks around the bare room, wanting something to sit on. And doesn't that rug just look so inviting… He plops down on it and crosses his legs. "Perhaps...maybe in the future, we can have a conversation where you don't undermine me."

"Or you can say things that don't provoke me to undermine you." Cas sits down across from Balthazar and they glare at each other for an undeterminable amount of time.

And then Balthazar starts laughing and Cas follows. "Oh, I have missed you." He smiles and the skin around his eyes crinkles in a way that makes him look most delighted. "You should at least stay in touch with me every so often. Just so I know that one day, you'll never stab me in the back."

Castiel laughs. "That will never happen." Two different angels in his apartment in as many days. "You know...Gabriel was just here yesterday."

"Oh? What did our favourite trickster want?"

"He told Dean I died."

Balthazar laughs and it earns him a glare. "Classic Gabriel. Stays hidden and when he does pop up, he says the shittiest things. Best brother, don't you think?"

"No." Cas is not amused.

"Well...you're alive. And I'm sure that's all that matters to Dean. Considering he's in love with you. You know that, right?"

"Of course." Cas narrows his eyes and tilts his head to the side.

"And he know you love him?"

"As I know he loves me."

"But have you said it?" Balthazar persists.

And then there's silence. It isn't like saying those words is difficult. Or maybe they are hard to say, and he just doesn't know it yet. Then again, he had admitted to feeling vulnerable. And that was a huge step for him.

Balthazar stands up and stretches his hands up to the ceiling. "Alright. Well...seems like you have quite a bit of thinking to do. So I'll let you to it." He extends a hand to help up his brother, who takes it willingly. "It's really good to see you, Cassie." Balthazar kisses Cas' forehead and smiles at him. "Don't be stranger." And then he's gone, leaving Cas all alone to his thoughts.

* * *

"Have you told him the good news yet?" Jess chatters excitedly into the phone as she closes the lid to her laptop.

"No...I haven't had time to." Sam can almost hear her frown over the phone. "But don't worry." He rushes on. "I'll tell him tonight. Really. It's just that I met his...neighbour?"

"Are you sure about that?" Jess chuckles over the phone at Sam' hesitance. And then she stops. "The angel? You met him?" She sucks in a breath. "Oh my god. Tell me about him. What's he like? Will I leave you for him? It's he beautiful? Does he bake?"

"What?" Sam laughs. "FIrst of all, he's taken. Second of all, _you're_ taken."

She giggles. "Can't stop a girl from dreaming." Jess sighs and sits down on their sofa, inspecting the room around her. "You need to tell him. I think he'll be happy to know this. Actually...no. I know he'll be happy." She pulls her knit sweater tighter around her and looks out the window.

"He will be. I just want to find the right time to tell him." Sam stops walking for a moment and looks around. "Crap…I'm lost."

Jess laughs. "If we're going to be living there in a month, I think it's best that you learn your way around."

"Yeah, yeah. This area is just kind of confusing…" He looks around. At least Dean lives downtown. But downtown isn't the best area for raising a family and it isn't quite hipster enough for two Stanford graduates. Not to say that Dean isn't a hipster, but he isn't a hipster. Well, neithere are Sam and Jess. But hey, anyone can be hipster if they put on thick framed glasses and flannel.

"You'll find your way back. What did you think of the house?"

"It's perfect." Sam has already paid the deposit, he loves it so much. And he just knows that Jess will feel the same way.

"I'm trusting your judgement." She smiles and lies down on the sofa. "I can't wait to get out there. Finals in two weeks, your BAR exam...and then Seattle. December is going to be a good month for us."

"For all of us. And you'll get to meet Dean, finally. And his...neighbour, and-"

"Okay." Jess sounds serious. "Why do you keep doing that? Why are you hesitating with 'neighbour'?"

Sam exhales a sigh of relief. And then another one when he's found his way to a bus stop that will bring him back downtown. "I think he and Dean are a thing."

"Oh."

"Jess?"

"Yeah." She sounds kind of sad. "I just wanted to know if he was straight. And now I know." Jess shakes her head. "Alright, baby. I'm gonna let you go so I can go study."

"Alright. I'll call you tomorrow to let you know how he takes the good news." Sam pulls his money out of his pocket when he sees his bus coming. "I love you."

"I love you." She repeats, any traces of sadness gone, her voice full and vibrant again. "Always."

* * *

_A/N: Sorry...not Sabriel, I decided. I kind of forgot that I brought Jess into the story. However briefly...I suck. Yes, that was a Harry Potter reference. I figured that after Tuesday night's episode...we could do with some fluff and smiles...so...yeah. This is all just one big love parade. And I wonder what Gabriel and Balthazar would be like together. Thoughts? Reviews are always appreciated. Love, forever and always, Pyxie_


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: Okay. So to begin with… I had a dream about how this chapter should go...and I think it's just gonna work itself out. Of course, there were some aspects of this dream that could just be dream-like in its existence-or rather, lack thereof-I digress. I had a dream about the baseline plot of this chapter and have decided to run along with it. For the most part. My beautiful Demon, I love you, oh so much. And I think for kicks and giggles, I'm gonna put Loki and Pervy together. Yeah...that's gonna happen. ONWARDS! -Pyxie_

* * *

Dean would be lying if he said that he isn't sad about this being Sam's final night in Seattle. Because really, he's gonna miss the bitch. And when's he gonna see him again? Wait. What?

Dean looks up with wonder in his eyes and inspects his little brother. Had he really just said what he thought he said? Or were those words that he'd been projecting in his mindspace that became so loud that he had phantomed Sam's voice into falsified airspace around them?

But Sam only laughs, jovial and kind in its ministrations. "I said, Dean, that Jess and I are moving up here after finals. I found a place in Wallingford."

And then the silence ensues as Dean absorbs the information. "But...that's like…"

"Five weeks from now. I know."

Dean stands up from his sofa. "But it's December!"

Sam follows suit and rises to his feet. "Yes! We know. There is such a thing as graduating early. Why do you think I flew all the way out to Seattle, Dean? And what exactly do you think I've been doing all day when you're at work?"

"Holy Hell." Dean grabs his sasquatch of a brother down for a hug and laughs. "You don't understand just how happy that makes me! We're gonna have dinner to celebrate. We'll have Cas over and I'll make us some burgers and something delicious. It'll be good!" He pulls back and grins.

Sam is more than just a little excited that Dean's taken the news so well. At first he had been a bit apprehensive to the thought that Dean wouldn't actually want him to come live in Seattle, but that wouldn't have bad sense because Dean is all for family and being close to each other and now Sam is thinking in run-on sentences and really doesn't care because he happy and nothing can possibly ruin this moment.

Dean is already searching his refrigerator for foodstuffs to make when Cas appears in the middle of the living room.

"I heard joy and decided that I need to be a part of it." Cas stands semi-awkwardly, arms slightly abducted from his sides, his head tilted to the side.

As soon as he notices that Cas has appeared, Dean leaves the kitchen and hugs his angel from behind, pressing his face into the other's neck. "Hey Cas. I just got the good news that Sammy is moving out here in a few weeks."

If Sam hadn't been so grossed out by the fact that his brother is getting touchy-feely with another person-shaped entity in his presence, he would think that this display is actually kind of cute. But because this is _Dean_, it instantly isn't cute anymore. It's cute when it's him and Jess. But not Dean. Nope, not at all. It's not like he's never seen Dean in a happy, comfortable relationship ever. Never. Not ever.

So if Sam smiles at how non-adorable they are, they'll never know. He's actually grimacing. It just looks like a smile.

"That sounds good, Dean." Apparently they had been talking, and Sam just didn't catch any of it. "Sam, tell me about your favourite cookies and pastries and don't shirk on the details." Castiel is leaning back in Dean arms, looking at Sam with this intense stare. Not anywhere near as intense as he normally is with Dean, but still. It's just a little unnerving.

"Uh...vegan…"

Cas deadpans and turns his head to look at Dean just to make sure he heard that correctly. "Did he just say vegan?"

"He lives in California."

"Oh, that makes perfect sense." Dean nods to Cas' words and the two seem to share their own silent language with each other for a moment. Without eye contact, without hand gestures, and without the pesky hindrance of words. And Sam is completely enthralled by them.

But wait. "What do you mean 'perfect sense'?" He attempts to imitate Cas' deep, gravelly voice, but really, he just sounds like a disgruntled puppy. And everyone in that room knows it, but everyone in that room stays silent about it.

Cas tilts his head to the side in that Castiel-is-confused way. "Sam, I'm not making you something vegan. Any reasonable requests you'd like to place?"

Before Sam can even think of answering, Dean is whispering something in Cas' ear, and he just nods. As though Dean knows everything. Because really, as far as Castiel is concerned, Dean does know everything about Sam. And Sam figures that if Cas _really_ wants to know, all he has to do is just delve into his mind for a bit.

"Okay. We have reached a consensus. I shall be back at 6 tonight." Cas turns around in Dean's arms and presses the lightest of kisses against his lips. "I'll see you soon." And then he disappears.

"Are you in love with Castiel?" Sam blurts out as soon as Cas is gone.

"What?" Dean blinks. Because, wow, those aren't the words that he'd been expecting.

"I know you haven't been in love in a really long time and I know that you've never said it before...so…" Sam sits down on the sofa and leans back. In some ways...he's pretty sad that he won't be living with Dean, but they need their space.

"What the hell, Sammy? I can say it. Just because I haven't before, doesn't mean I can't. I will. I'm gonna say it. Soon. Before you move back. Maybe a few weeks after. Or maybe-"

Sam can't take anymore. "Dean! Jesus. Take your time. As long as you've opened up to at least yourself."

Dean binks, seriously taken aback. Are Sam and Cas secretly in cahoots with each other? How many stories about Dean and Cas does Sam know about? The voice inside of Dean's mind is conspiratorial and suspicious. Not unlike a narrator of a ghost hunting show. Great. But he thinks about it, really thinks about. And realises that, yeah, he has opened up to himself. The last four months have been amazing. A montage of Castiel flickers through his mind. When they first met, that beautiful man with the electric blue eyes smoking a cigarette, to their first baking adventure together the very next night, when Dean found out Cas is an angel, the trip to Barcelona…

When Dean snaps back to the present, he notices Sam is smiling at him, all hugs and sparkles. "You should tell him how you feel. I think he'd like that."

Dean nods. While he agrees, he's pretty sure that as soon as he says those words to Cas, he's just admitting full defeat towards his emotions. Giving in completely, baring his soul and heart to this angel of a being and if that isn't terrifying, Dean doesn't know what is.

"What do you mean that I've opened up to myself? Cas said that when we first met…." Dean doesn't want to be distracted by the angel that is ever-present in his mind to forget about what Sam has said.

"Dean, you have always been this incredibly selfless person who puts everyone first...but the people you help hardly know anything about you. And hell, I'm pretty sure you hardly know anything about yourself." If Sam didn't sound so nice while speaking, Dean would have taken this offensively. But it's nearly impossibly to take whatever Sam says in a bad way, especially with those puppy eyes. Dean almost wants to be upset, but he just can't be, mainly because Sam speaks truth out of his mouth hole.

"I know enough about my self, Sam."

"Oh? Then why did you major in business? I know you hate it."

Dean falls silent. That is one hell of soft spot that Sam has just pressed down on. "Sam...after dad died-"

"No. Don't make this about dad. This is about you. Everything has always been about dad." Sam sits down on the sofa and pats the seat next to him when Dean doesn't move to join him. When Dean sits down, Sam turns to him, his face so freaking emphatic that Dean almost wants to break down crying and confess everything about his life. Sammy just has this affect on people.

"Sammy...I felt like I owed him. After everything he went through for us. I realised how wrong it was when mom took us to go get tattoos." Sam tilts his head to the side, urging Dean to continue. "She's so free-spirited. And she always did exactly what she wanted to do. Even when dad was his usual overbearing self...but by that time, I just had two classes left in college, so I pushed through it and landed myself a decent job here in Seattle." Dean sighs.

"So...if dad never staked a claim on your soul when you were born, what would you have done instead with your life?

Dean shrugs. "I've never thought about it. I've always been too concerned over what dad wanted me to do." Sam's about to say something, but Dean stops him. "I started thinking about it recently though. Cas said he wants to open a bakery. And I'm a financial manager, so I figured I could do his bookkeeping."

"And you'd be okay with that?" Sam doesn't really even have to ask, as Dean's eyes have lit up at the idea. Either it's the fact that Dean just wants to be closer to Cas more often, or maybe he really wants to get out of his job. He doesn't know. And really, as long as Dean is happy, he doesn't really mind which one it is.

"Of course, Sammy. And now I hope we're done chick-flickin' it, because I need to go to the store for a bit. You can...sleep or something."

"Dean…"

"Please. I just want your last night here to be a good one. I'll change my life soon and be happy, alright? That sound good to you?" Dean slaps himself on the knees as he stands up, thus ending the conversation. "I'll be back in an hour." He grins and at Sam while he puts his jacket on and then slips out of his door.

Sam sighs. At least dinner would be nice.

* * *

Or so he thought. Why both Gabriel and Balthazar showed up, Sam will never know, but all five of them were seated in the middle of Castiel's floor, a wide array of food between them. Gabriel had decided to do this potluck style and brought in bowls of candy. Balthazar supplied alcohol (although Cas had a full stock of his own). Dean, of course, brought burgers and pie. But Cas. No, Cas went all out. And yes, there is one vegan chocolate cake that everyone else has decided not to touch. Sam, however, is all too thrilled. But around them are cookies, and spanakopita, _magdalenas_, baklava, french pressed coffee, sugar cookies, pot roast, brioche.

"I can't believe you remembered all of this." Dean grins and leans against Cas' shoulder. "You've got one hell of a memory."

"Please, Dean, I'm an angel. It's one _heaven_ of a memory." Cas smiles and presses a kiss to Dean's temple.

"You two are so cute, I almost want to make out with Gabriel here to kill the mood." Balthazar swirls his wine in his glass, turning his face away from the Destiel in front of him.

Gabriel pouts. "I think I'd only set the mood better. What do you think, Sam? Do you think I'm sexy?"

Before Sam can answer, Balthazar cuts in. "You don't need to ask him to know you are."

Smooth as fuck if Gabe's smirk is anything to go by. "Maybe I'll need a reminder later, Balthy. How does that sound to you?"

"Fantastic, actually." Balthazar trains his eyes on Gabriel as he sips his wine. "We can at least wait unitl after dinner though."

"Please wait until after dinner." Castiel pushes a plate onto Balthazar's lap and rolls his eyes. "For now, just enjoy the best food of...my and Dean's adventures around the world."

"Is that grammatically correct?" Gabriel asks. All of them look at Sam.

"What?"

"You're the law student. Tell us. Is it 'my and Dean's advetures', 'Dean and my adventures', or 'mine and Dean's adventures'?" Gabriel tilts his head to the side and scrutinises Sam with that ferocity that only angels possess.

Sam almost wants to shrug and pass it off as whatever, but everyone, including Dean, is watching him to get the answer. "Ugh. It would be 'Dean and my adventures'. Why-"

"Ha!" Gabriel threw his arms up and confetti came raining down from the ceiling. "You were wrong, Cassie!"

Balthazar laughs and sips more wine. Dean wraps his arm protectively around Cas and glares at Gabriel. "English grammar is stupid. Everyone knows that. who cares if it's one way or another?"

"I know you're laughing on the inside, Dean. I can hear it." Castiel smirks and leans a little more into Dean's arm. "So I don't mind if you laugh. Everyone else is. Except for Sam. Because he has no sense of humour."

"Hey! I have a sense of humour."

"Yeah, but it's law humour!" Gabriel laughs heartly and lies down, his head in Balthazar's lap, a cookie in his hand. Idly, Balthazar runs his fingers through the archangel's hair while he snacks on baklava and brioche.

The evening continues like that, laughter and fake insults. Five weeks just cannot come soon enough.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you all for reading. This is the last chapter. Just kidding. I wouldn't do that. I want Jess to meet Cas and Balthy and Gabe because I think she'd like them. And I can't wait for them to go to Night Vale. Maybe next chapter. So...this developed a plot. I wasn't really planning on there being one, I mean, it's kind of a hard thing to do, to write a several chapter long story and keep it plot-free. It's a cute, simple plot, but still existent nonetheless. Please review. I really do appreciate it. I'll try to post the next chapter soon. My sister is coming to visit the 17th to the 27th, so chances are I won't be writing much. I love all of you! And I hope life for you is going well. If not, please remember that I love you over iles and states and countries and continents and oceans. I love you. -Pyxie (P.S. I figured that because I have a tumblr, I should post it. pyx . tumblr . com . Come and talk to me. I'm a nice person)_


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: Alright everybody! Chapter 12! It's going to start off a little sad as a warning and then a bunch of weird stuff is gonna happen. Just thought I'd let you know. Because you need to know. Or do you? Eh. Stuff. And now I say, perhaps this chapter shall commence? (I'm starting to run out of witty things to say) -Pyxie!_

* * *

Dean sets Sam's bag on the floor and frowns. He suddenly wishes that Cas hadn't decided not to come. He could kind of use the moral support.

"C'mon, Dean. It's just five weeks. Then Jess and I will be here again." Sam places his hand on his brother's shoulder and looks at him with those puppy eyes, which only helps to make Dean feel a bit worse.

"I know. I know. But...it was good having you here." Dean pulls Samsquatch in for a hug and claps him on the back.

"A lot's changed. But for the better. 2014 is going to be a good year, Dean. For all of us." Sam pulls back and checks the time. "I better get going…"

"Yeah, you better not miss that flight. Then I'll have to come back and get you and you'd have to stay longer. We can't have that."

"No, we sure can't." Sam picks up his bag and smiles at Dean. "I'll see you soon."

"You freaking better." Departing this way especially doesn't feel good because of the flying aspect. The whole…metal flying contraption thing… He waves and Sam walks through the glass sliding doors of Seatac Airport.

He gets into Baby and pulls away from the curb.

"You're doing surprisingly better than I thought you would." Dean jumps at the voice and swerves a bit.

"Damnit, Cas. Don't do that." Dean tries to answer in his usual gruff way. But it comes out just a little shy of feeble.

"I'm not sorry." Cas smirks. Dean knows he's only trying to help him to feel better, but he just can't be cheered up right now. "Tell me how you feel. I think you should talk about it."

"I don't want to. I know how I feel."

"Then I suppose that's what matters."

Dean merges onto the highway and starts heading north back home. They fall into a comfortable silence and for a bit that's how they stay. At least, for a little while.

Cas' eyes widen. "Dean, I'm sorry."

Before Dean can ask why, the scenery changes and Dean finds himself driving on a deserted road in the desert. He blinks and pulls over to the side of the road.

"Cas...what the hell just happened?"

"I was summoned."

"Okay. So bring us back." Dean searches those ocean blue eyes and watches as despair creeps into his expression.

"I can't. My powers are...different here."

"Okay. Where is 'here'?"

"Night Vale." The name of the town just sends a shiver of panic, no, concern down Dean's spine. This is not how he had been expecting this day to go. On the plus side, at least it's warm out. Just kidding. It's fucking hot. He turns on the air conditioning and starts to drive again.

A red blinking light from a radio tower is a few miles down the road. He turns on the radio. Because, hell, just because he's somewhere he didn't expect to be, doesn't mean that he can't at least enjoy some music.

Instead of music, a man's voice, deep and low and chilling fills the car. "Wednesday has been cancelled due to a scheduling error." Dean tries to change the channel, but on every station is this man. "Let's make a band, yeah! We should do that!" He resolves to just turn it off.

"I'm so sorry." Cas looks terrified, eyes wide and unblinking as he watches the scenery pass by.

"Why? Exactly how bad is this place?"

"It doesn't even really exist." Cas looks down in shame and shakes his head. "The things you will see here will...confuse you."

"You're an angel, how does it get much weirder?"

Cas doesn't answer, only shakes his head. The silence that falls over the car this time is tense. When they finally make it into town, Dean understands exactly what Cas had been talking about. There are helicopters everywhere. For such a small sized community, there are about six helicopters in the sky. In the middle of town, there's a park. Or at least...it says it's a park. A dog park. The sign reads:

"NO DOGS ALLOWED IN THE DOG PARK.

NO PEOPLE ALLOWED IN THE DOG PARK.

DO NOT APPROACH THE DOG PARK.

DO NOT APPROACH THE HOODED FIGURES."

Dean looks to Cas who still has the same apologetical and alarmingly blank expression. "What the hell?"

"Try not to think about it. Do not ask for any wheat or wheat by-products. Don't try to talk to anyone. Park your car and take a walk. Don't listen to the radio. Don't go to the school." Cas turns to Dean. "And this is most important. Do not look at, approach, or talk to any hooded figures. Don't stare at anyone or anything. Don't look at the sky. Don't go to the library. Please don't go to the library."

"What can I do?" Dean is alarmed by this list. This place can't really be this messed up, can it? He glances around as he parks his car on the side of the road. There are people about, but he only glances.

"Your every word is being listened to. Go to the cafe, have a cup of coffee. There's a lab nearby, you can go talk to Carlos the scientist in the lab. He's an outsider. He's good to talk to. And do not approach anyone with two heads, a hand, anyone in black and capes, children-"

"Alright. I get. Carlos. I'll go talk to Carlos. What are you going to do?"

"I have to help someone." Cas leans forward and kisses Dean, gently. Just once. "I'll be back to you as soon as I can." And then he disappears.

Dean takes a deep breath and then gets out of the car. Carefully, he steps onto the sidewalk. He wants to look up at the sky. Everything seems to be of a different colour entirely. Everything feels weird. As though he isn't supposed to be here. And yet, here he is, walking about this crazy, strange place. He sneaks a glance at the sky and then immediately brings his eyes back down to the sidewalk. Purple. The sky is freaking purple. He shakes his head. This place is impossible. He begins walking. He passes by people who give him curious looks, but that's it. Most of them look pretty normal.

He walks a few blocks and sees a sign that says 'Laboratory'. Across the street, Dean swears he saw a house, but when he looks back, it had vanished. Something is seriously crazy with this place.

Inside the lab, there's a man in a lab coat with dark, flowing hair, and warm, dark skin. And instantly, Dean feel comfortable again.

"Uhm...excuse me…"

The man looks up and smiles broadly at Dean. "You aren't from here, are you? I can tell." The radio is on in the background and when Dean looks at it, the dark haired man blushes. "Sorry, it's my boyfriend's radio show."

"He's your boyfriend?" Dean blinks. Carlos, the scientist, and the mysterious voice of the radio show

"Yes, his name is Cecil. I'm Carlos." Carlos holds out a hand and Dean shakes it.

"Dean." No last names it seems. And Carlos seems to be just fine with that answer and stands up.

"I know this place must seem weird to you. When I first got here, I realised that time moves slower here. I don't even really remember how I got here...But I digress. The community is really weird. But we can't really talk about it. Cecil can and does because of his radio show, but people like us...we can't. So try not to think about it. Really, don't. It's a thought crime." Carlos can talk. In fact, he's kind of ballsy. Dean can kind of tell that all Carlos wants to do is question it all. Question everything. Question Night Vale.

"I've heard that since I got here. What not to do." Dean shakes his head, completely mortified. "What do you all do for fun?"

"Sexual intercourse is allowed. Dates must be reported to the City Council. And for mayor, we can vote for either a five-headed dragon or The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your House."

"Is that her name?" Dean sits down next to Carlos. "This place is-"

"I know. But don't say it." Carlos pushes one of the watches that he'd been studying towards Dean. "Take a look. Just open it."

So Dean does. Without any lip or snarky comments. Inside there's a peculiar gooey substance in place of gears and such. He looks at Carlos for explanation, but he only shrugs.

"That's the same look that I got." The scientist sighs. "How long will you be staying here?"

"Just until Cas says we can go." There's something in Carlos' expression that makes Dean's blood run a little cold. "How long are you staying here for?"

"Mostly likely indefinitely." Carlos frowns. "But you know, I think it's bearable now. Now that I have Cecil…" He chuckles to himself as if at a memory. "Neat…" He mumbles to himself.

"Uh huh…" Dean looks around the impeccably clean lab and soak in his surroundings. "Why is the sky purple?"

"Night Vale is...it shouldn't exist. This is the most scientifically fascinating community on Earth, if it is indeed on Earth…" Carlos trails off. "I'll explain. Sometimes the sun doesn't rise, we aren't allowed to talk about clouds because they don't exist here, same with mountains, and there's a glow cloud in the PTA that kills other members."

Dean reels in surprise. "A glow cloud?"

"And then there was a sandstorm that make duplicates of every citizen in Night Vale. And either the replicant or original person had to get killed. And we also have a hooded figure that occasionally steals children." Carlos runs a hand through his hair and sighs again.

If Dean has learned anything since he's arrived in Night Vale, it's that Carlos sighs a lot and that everyone here is freaking psychotic. Darkness falls over the room. Dean stands up.

"Oh, man…" Carlos signals for Dean to follow him and they run out into the street. The sky is a dark purple now, almost black, the air is still. And in the distance, there's a thin pillar of bright white light extending from land to sky. Dean looks at it in morbid fascination. It's beautiful, no doubt. But what the hell? "The angels have returned…"

Dean's heart stops. Part of that light is his Cas. He starts running towards it as fast as he can. He can hear Carlos behind him, telling him to stop.

"Stay in your homes, Night Vale." The mysterious voice, Cecil, is being announced over a loudspeaker of the community. "Old Woman Josie down at the car lot has the angels protecting her home. There is a darkness that has engulfed the entire city. The Sheriff's Secret Police are advising all Night Vale citizens to stay in their homes."

The voice continues, but Dean ignores him. The streets are deserted. Behind him, he can hear Carlos running to catch up. They run together towards the light. Dean sneaks a glance, and sees that Carlos' eyes look so _alive_.

"No one's ever done this before, Dean."

"My boyfriend is one of those angels. So hell yeah, I'm doing this!" They run fast and they make it there relatively quickly.

The light around the small house looks like a frozen explosion ascending towards the heavens. For a long moment, the two just stare at the light in wonder.

"This place is impossible…" Carlos can't tear his eyes away. In a way, he almost looks angry. Dean supposes, that for a scientist, witnessing something like this might be a little blasphemous in the scientific way.

"You can wait here. I'm going in."

Carlos doesn't follow, merely watches as Dean walks closer to the home. The feeling of the white light against his skin, against his body, against his soul, is so intensely beautiful and clean-feeling. And for a moment, he cares about nothing.

The wind has begun to pick up, a howling whooshing around him. Dean is pulled reluctantly back to reality when a chill runs down his spine.

_Dean!_ That's Cas' voice. Dean looks around to find him. But all he sees is the house and the white light. _Go back to Carlos. Everything will be okay_. And in that moment, Dean realises that Cas' voice is all around him and through him, warm and comforting, pressing gently on his soul.

"Cas…" Dean keeps walking though and enters the house. Standing in a circle are several ten-foot tall people. In the middle of the circle, is Cas, hugging an elderly woman.

Castiel looks up at Dean, his eyes glowing blue. His wings are out and pressed against his back. _Come here, Dean. Since you didn't listen._ The voice is still in Dean's soul, and he can't even think of saying no. He stumbles forwards and slips through the tall people and stumbles in next to Cas. _I'm sorry…_ Two fingers press to Dean's head and everything goes black.

* * *

Dean sits up quickly. Everything feels like a dream. He looks around the room. Unfamiliar. Minimally furnished in what seems very vintage. And very comforting. Cas crouches down in front of him and gently cradles his face.

"How are you?" Cas' voice doesn't seem to be in tune with his soul anymore, and it's kind of a sad feeling.

Dean takes a few moments to grasp his words and he looks at Castiel in wonder. "You were glowing."

"I was." Carefully, Cas eases to behind Dean and wraps his arms around his waist and pulls him backwards.

Dean leans back gratefully and holds Cas' hands in his. "I-What happened?"

"The city was going to be destroyed by mutant computers...and Old Woman Josie called me out. I'm sorry, I never wanted to bring you here…" Cas is speaking quietly, but he seems to be more at ease now that the dangers have been avoided.

"Okay." Dean doesn't question it. His mind feels as though it's a mile high. He feels...well, honestly, the sensations are quite ineffable. A mutual feeling of intense serenity, while at the same time, panic. And then there's the feeling of falling. A metaphysical feeling of falling. Dean pulls away and turns around to look at Cas. No, Castiel, Angel of the Lord, fantastic, amazing creature of mythology. Beautiful in every possible way.

"What is it?" Cas tilts his head to the side and narrows his eyes as if to say, _Tell me. Who are you? Why are you taking this so well, Dean?_

"I just realised...how happy I am to have met you…"

Cas blinks and searches Dean's face, his stare a bit more intense. "We've been here too long if you're talking like this…" But there's something pleased in Cas' tone, the all-eyes smile.

"No, no. I mean it. I'm so happy I have you." Dean reaches a hand up and traces his fingers over Cas' cheeks and down his neck to the fabric of his t-shirt and then backup to his hair, gently twisting the locks between his distal phalanx.

Cas can only watch as Dean continues his gentle ministrations. He wants to say something, but he doesn't know what. How it's just on the tip of his tongue, begging to slip out. But it can't be said if Cas doesn't know what it is. Slowly, he takes Dean's hands in his. "We should go back home. You've had a long day."

"What about Baby?" Dean kisses the knuckles on Cas' hands.

"I'll take care of her."

An old woman steps into room and she smiles at the two of them. "Thank you again, Castiel, my dear angel."

"You're welcome." Cas gives a courteous nod and stands up, bringing Dean along with him. "Let Carlos know that we left, will you?"

"Of course, my dear." She's a sweet old woman. "And don't forget that John Peters, you know, the farmer? He'll selling his imaginary corn soon."

Dean looks at Cas in confusion, but he's ignored. "And we'll be back for that. Until then." Cas smiles and then touches two fingers to Dean's forehead.

They're in Dean's apartment. Dean sits on his sofa almost instantly, feeling suddenly drained. Even though Sam's flight had been earlier that day, it feels as though weeks have passed since then. Night Vale is the most exhausting place that Cas has brought him to so far. And that's kind of saying something, all things considered. But Night Vale is...dangerous.

"Please don't bring me there again."

"I won't."

* * *

_A/N: Alright, my beautiful, lovely followers. This will be my final post until the end of Christmas. I love all of you. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Yule, Happy Kwanza, Happy Ramadan! Happy YulChristmukkaRamawanzakuh! Good luck trying to pronounce that! ¬.¬ And Stuff! If I missed a holiday, I am so sorry. I tried to include everyone. And to my fellow college students, I know all of you did so amazing on all of your finals because you're all brilliantly cunning and highly intelligent. Love through the holidays, yours always, Pyxie xx_


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: Alright, everybody. I apologise for the lack of updates. I swear...it's all because of the holidays, but I figured I'd try to at least get this one up before Christmas. So how's about some Christmas fluff?_

* * *

Dean has never celebrated Christmas. Save once when he and his brother were left home alone as children and their dad kind of disappeared. Of course, this had been during when their parents had split up for a bit. So, naturally, Dean broke into their neighbours' house and grabbed some stuff for Sam. Boys don't exactly like barbies...so that had been sufficiently awkward.

And when Dean gets home from work on the 23rd of December at 3 o'clock p.m., Christmas is the very last thing on his mind. He's never been particularly festive, but since seeing as Cas is an angel, he should have expected this. And he kind of had been, but not like this. Not like this at all.

The entire ceiling of his apartment is mistletoe. Just a long latticework of mistletoe and Christmas lights. If Cas had the strange notion of not getting a kiss at some point in time during the night, he had made sure that he definitely would.

Castiel is in Dean's kitchen, a santa apron around his body, covering up what Dean assumes to be an ugly sweater and tight dark washed jeans. Cas poofs up in front of Dean and kisses him, soundly, right on the lips.

"I've missed you." The angel murmurs against his lips. "I made you prime rib."

"Cas…" Dean is wholly touched, through and through to his heart. But not to say that he's not a little alarmed by this behaviour. "Christmas is on Wednesday…"

"Twelve days of Christmas, Dean." Cas is mumbling, nearly incoherently as he trails kisses down Dean's neck and presses him against the wall.

"The twelve days started ten days ago." Dean drops his bag and coat to the floor so he can hold Cas back just as close.

"Let's not argue of the logistics of numbers." Cas' hands slip down to Dean's hips and he grinds against them gently. "We are governed by laws of the universe and of nature, but not so much so that we need to live our daily lives by the numbers that explain those laws. Much like how even though we fall at a rate of nine-point-eight-one metres per second, it doesn't mean falling in the metaphysical sense, only in the sense of one's corporeal being, thus void for all intents and purposes of thoughts and feelings."

"You should talk physics more frequently in your bedroom voice." Dean moans at the contact between them and tilts his head back against the wall to give Cas more space.

"I know I'm such a turn on." And just like that, Cas is back in the kitchen. "Thought I'd give you a proper welcome home greeting. Do you like the tree?"

Dean can't see much beyond his blood-rushing haze and the mistletoe, but he tries. For Cas. And there, in the middle of the room is an enormous douglas fir. In elegant bows are green and red ribbons and pretty silver lights. There are presents all around the bottom of the tree. And in that moment, Dean realises that he hasn't wrapped Cas' yet. But as long the angel hadn't gone rifling through his closet, then all is well.

But still, the tree is beautiful. Not one ornament though which Dean is kind of confused about. But the bows are much prettier than any ornament could ever be.

"It's nice."

"I know you're think that it's gorgeous and perfect, so I'll allow the understatement." Cas calls from the kitchen. Dean notices his table is set for five. "And yes, Balthazar and Gabriel will be joining us tonight."

"Really?" Dean looks at the extra place setting. He's okay with Gabriel and Balthazar even though his first impressions of both were a bit iffy. "Wait...there's five here."

"I know. There's a girl that I know that I think you'll like. Her name is Charlie. Snarky as all get out. And I think that we needed more females in our lives." Dean walks into his kitchen as Cas speaks and enjoys each and every scent that is coming from Cas' cooking and baking. "And maybe one day you'll meet Anna. Not Rachel though, she's crazy."

"Like you crazy? Or like...good crazy?"

"I elect to ignore that statement." Cas turns around and slowly leans forwards to press another kiss to Dean's lips. "You're so irresistible. Even when you're irritating."

"What? I'm never irrit-"

"Don't." Cas pats Dean's cheek in what is usually considers to be used for children who say weird things. Then his eyes go serious and he inspects Dean's face with a small smile. "I'm going to say something absolutely crazy to you right now. And what I want you to do is absorb the feeling of me telling you, forget that I said the words, but remember the feeling. Can you do that?" Cas moves his thumbs in small circles on Dean's zygoma then down his cheek.

Dean blinks. "I suppose I'll try…" He notices Cas' worried expression and hurries on. "No, I will."

"Good." Cas kisses Dean's forehead. "I love you." A small smile tugs at his lips.

Dean's heart skips a beat and it's all he can do to breathe like a normal person. His fingers grip onto Cas' apron and he can't help the smile that breaks out on his face. He opens his mouth to say something, but is stopped by Cas' thumb pressing down on his lips oh so gently.

"No, no words. Just absorb the feeling and forever remember it, but forget that I said it." Cas moves his hands down to the small of Dean's back and rubs in small circles.

Dean shakes his head. "No...I can't just forget you said that…" He pulls Cas into a tight hug, pressing his face into the angel's neck. "I don't want to forget. Because I-" The words caught in his throat and he just doesn't understand why, he's so ready to say them. He wants to say them. "I want you to know that I feel the same way about you…"

When Cas is silent for too long, Dean pulls back a bit to look at him. "I didn't know that being told indirectly that you love me could feel so overwhelming." He barely spares a glance to the kitchen, but suddenly the smells are way more intense and the food is set out. "If we weren't expecting guests in a little while, I would make sweet love to you right now."

"So cancel. And we can do dinner another time." Dean leans forward and touches a gentle kiss to Cas' lips, pulling him close.

The way Castiel slips his fingers through Dean's hair as he tilts his head to the side just makes Dean's entire body shiver. It's just how gentle they are with each other, how there are moments that Cas feels truly deprived of physical contact and he all but manhandles Dean against walls or randomly appears in his shower.

But this feels different. It's how their hands stay in the innocent areas of each other's bodies. How their tongues just barely brush against each other. But underneath the surface of both of them, the passionate turmoil that swirling within them. Cas nibbles gently on Dean's bottom lip before pulling away.

"I can't say anything to convince you to forget what I said?" Cas actually sounds kind of put out about it.

"No." Dean offers a piteous smile, but knows he doesn't mean it. "And, damnit, if I wasn't so incapable of saying it back, I would have verbally reciprocated my affections, but...I dunno...the words just don't wanna come out."

"I'm not trying to force your hand in saying it back, Dean." Castiel massages the back of Dean's head with his finger pads. "I just wanted to let you know how I feel. How I've always felt."

"Since we met?"

"I admit that there has always been a grace-to-soul attraction, but it wasn't until after you got to know me that I knew how I felt-feel."

"And how do you feel?" Dean asks the question again, like he had a few months previous.

"I feel as though I'm being crushed. Like I'm drowning. Sinking. Falling. Flying. Living." Dean doesn't miss the brightness in Cas' eyes. How beautiful and just simply ethereal he looks with those amazingly blue eyes. "And I've never felt happier."

"Crazy how a simple human can do this to you." Dean absent-mindedly comments.

"Not simple at all, Dean, however crazy it may be." Cas tips Dean's head up to kiss his chin. "And the fact that you think that you're simple reminds me that I need to tell you this…" He looks Dean right in the eyes. "You are an incredibly complex, yet perfectly realistic in all of your mannerisms. Your existence matters to me and I'm so incredibly thankful that out of the seven billion people on this earth, I live next to you."

Dean just blinks. He wants to say something, wants to do something...but all he can do is stare. This person that he's in love with, this angel that loves him is so amazingly beautiful on the inside and-

"Dean…" Cas strokes Dean's cheek gently to pull him back to reality. "Did I get to be a little too touchy just now? I know you don't like 'chick flick' moments, but I felt it rather important to let you know just exactly how I feel. I'll get rid of the mistletoe if you want. I'll do anything."

"You do too much." Dean crushes their lips together and pulls Cas as close to him as possible, a moan deep in his throat. He pulls back. "I love you." There, he said it. In a rush, hardly comprehensible, but Cas still understands him.

Those blue eyes widen and something pops and the room goes dark. "Dean…" Before Cas can continue, Dean is pressing close to him again, sucking at his lips and letting himself fall into a chasm that he knows he doesn't want to climb out of.

There are more sounds of breaking glass and the room gets darker and darker. After a few more moments of kissing his Cas, Dean pulls away and opens his eyes. He wants to gaze lovingly into the eyes of Castiel, but the only light in the room is coming from the streetlamp outside the window.

All the lights on the Christmas tree and ceiling are broken, same with all of the lightbulbs in the lamps. Dean looks back at Cas with raised eyebrows, but the angel just shrugs and chuckles.

"I guess I'm happy."

"I guess that means we should take you somewhere before you destroy my apartment." Dean says jokingly, but he kind of means it.

"But I thought that...after Night Vale…"

Dean shakes his head. "No, I trust you. You can take me somewhere. I'll be okay. Although…" He glances into his kitchen at all of the food that's been set out for dinner later that night"

"I can travel in time." Cas suggests.

Dean barely musters a nod before the two of them vanish off to the unknown.

* * *

_A/N: Okay, so...I just needed to finish this because writing it was making me so happy. It was also really hard to write. And I'm half-tempted to just skip over all the making love, but I also feel that it's an important step in their development and...I dunno. I'll figure it out after Christmas. I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday so far! Yule just past, I think Hanukkah is over, Ramadan I think is also over, Kwanza, so that just leaves a Christmas and the New Year. I'm really bad with holidays...but, you know, first time celebrating, might as well go all out. SO! My beautiful listeners, I bid you a fond adieu and a lovely holiday. Until next time, -Ell_


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: This was really hard to write. I hope you like it. And...I hope that it tickles your fancy. Sorry the end feels rushed. I love all of you! THANK ALL OF YOU SO VERY VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR REVIEWS! I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT! To each and every one of you, a kiss, a hug, and your very own Jensen Ackles. You're all perfect. And if you're more into chicks than dudes, then you get a Felicia Day._

* * *

Dean doesn't care about when they've landed and where, all he cares about is how well Cas fits in his arms. All he wants to do is to just keep standing here with Cas. Quite frankly, he'd be happy doing nothing. But he wouldn't mind doing the sex.

Cas' hands move in small circles along Dean's back as he carefully pulls away. "Hey…" They make eye contact for the first time in what feels like forever, and Dean's heart aches. Never has Cas looked so beautiful (in that manly way, because being beautiful and not manly, pssh, totally not like them).

With a smile and a small chuckle, Cas brings his hands up to cup Dean's face. "I love your mental commentary. I wish you listened to it."

"I do listen, it's in my mind." Dean looks petulant, but somehow that only makes Cas' smile grow wider.

"You don't listen, you hear." Cas draws his thumb along Dean's bottom lip to part it a bit. His pupils dilate and Dean can only watch as Cas stares at his mouth and bites his lip.

After a few moments of just staring, Dean thinks it's time to speak up. "Are you...are you gonna kiss me or just stand there?"

"Both." Cas' eyes flicker up to Dean's and he smirks. And if Cas isn't the Universe's sexiest angel, Dean doesn't know who could take first place.

Together, they draw closer, sharing each other's air, eyes shifting between eyes and lips, before finally, finally, their lips touch, gently. Dean sucks a breath in through his nose as Cas' hand drops to his bare upper arm. A small burning sensation begins to spread itself across his skin. It grows more intense, but not unbearable, and then it just stops. Cas moves his hand down to Dean's rear and gives him a good squeeze. Dean presses closer and parts his lips, letting Cas in. For a moment, it's all just sweet heat, wandering hands, and tangled tongues.

Until Dean realises just how hard he's become. He's not sure if he's a masochist for burning sensations or what, but he's damn near trembling. Cas is guiding him backwards, gently nipping at his lips until they reach a wall. Dean rest the entirety of his weight against the wall and let's Cas press hard against him.

Without warning, Cas grinds his hips, hard, against Dean, achieving that perfect amount of friction in the first try. Dean pulls out of the kiss and rests his head against the wall, a low moan falling easily from his lips. Cas licks his lips as he inspects Dean's exposed throat. The angel trails kisses down Dean's neck, intermittently biting and licking. His hips are still making perfect undulating movements.

Dean finally remembers how to use his body and pulls Cas' shirt off. He switches their positions, pushing Cas against the wall and dropping his head to bite at the angel's clavicle. Cas tugs pointedly at Dean's sport jacket until it comes off.

"Dean…" Cas' voice is deeper and way more gravelly than Dean's ever heard it and it goes straight to his groin. He moans just at the sound of his name and grabs Cas' ass to press them flush. Cas makes a sound deep in the back of his throat. "Dean...we should...make our way over to the bed."

"Or you can take me right here against this wall." Dean growls into Cas' ear and bites at the cartilage to emphasise his point.

Whatever reservations Cas had been harbouring before slip away and he presses close to Dean, his fingers drifting downwards to undo the button on Dean's slacks. "I take it back, you should wear three piece suits all the time." Cas slips his hand into Dean's pants and strokes him gently. Dean moans, loud and filthy, and he pushes harder into Cas' hand, relishing the warm heat that's enveloped him so perfectly.

It's becoming too much too fast, and it's all Dean can do to reach down and stop Cas' hand. "I wanna feel you skin against skin…"

Cas stops completely and gently pushes Dean a step back. "Okay. Alright. We'll take a little break." Cas smirks. "How about some tea?"

Dean grabs Cas by the wrists and pins them against the wall by his head. "I didn't mean let's stop. I meant…" He struggles around with his words for a bit and then just rolls his eyes in frustration. "It doesn't matter. This is continuing."

Cas tilts his head up against the wall and smirks at Dean, his eyes half-lidded. "Then I make the suggestion that you stop staring and get on with it, yeah?"

Clothes are shed quickly after that. And Dean can't help but trace his fingers over Cas' chest and down his torso. Cas bucks his hips worries his bottom lip with his teeth, waiting for Dean to touch him. But he doesn't. Instead, Dean drops to his knees and takes Cas into his mouth. The moan that Cas lets out is absolutely wanton, and in contrast, the touch of his fingers through Dean's hair is gentle and sweet.

Dean hums quietly in the back of his throat as he runs his tongue along the underside of Cas' shaft. Before pulling off with a wet pop. Cas pulls Dean back up to his feet and runs his fingers down his back to his rear.

The two make eye contact and Dean makes a subtle nod that they both understand rather well. Trust and fear and love and nerves all wrapped into one short look. It's imperceptible, but to them, they communicate so well without words.

Dean squeezes his eyes shut as he feels Cas' hand slip into him. No pain. Just a strange pressure. He drops his head onto Cas' shoulder and lets himself get worked open. one finger, two...three… Carefully, Castiel switches their positions and presses Dean against the wall and lifts him up. Obediently, Dean wraps his legs around Cas' waist and hugs him close like an octopus.

Slowly, Cas pushes into him, oh so slowly. Dean gasps. And like that, the two of them become connected in a way that Dean had never even fathomed existed and he begins to savour this blissful togetherness that has enveloped its way through his soul. And soon they're rocking together, moaning incoherencies and muttering sweet nothings into each other's skin. Something warm fills Dean to the very depths of his being.

Dean's never felt anything like this. His entire body is trembling and he feels hot and cold at the same time. The build up is incredible. He gasps out Cas name as that magical spot inside of him is breached. Over and over and over again until he feels that impending orgasm.

And then...everything whites out and he spills out between the two of them and he slumps in Cas' arms. He shudders over and over again as he rides out his orgasm. And them moments later, Cas finshes, and the entire room fills with a white light. A ringing fills the air. And somewhere among the white, black stands out.

Just as quickly as it all starts, it ends. And Dean feels himself being lowered. And then falling. He opens his eyes as if to warn Cas that they're going to hit the ground. But that never happens. Instead, they're laid out...on a bed of some sort. Dean tries not to think too hard on it. There are other things on his mind.

They lie in silence for a long while. Dean speaks first.

"Wow."

Cas can only make a small grunt of affirmation. And then, with a jolt of shock, Dean realises that they're cuddling, then forgets, then snuggles more into Cas' chest. They're clean, is another thing he notices.

"I love you." Cas says quietly. "So much." Pause. "And I'm sorry."

"You aren't leaving, are you?" Dean tries to make a joke, but instead, it comes out meek.

Cas chuckles and shakes his head. "No, no. Of course not." He drops his hand down to Dean's upper arm and gives it a small squeeze. That burning sensation comes back to Dean and he tenses up. It doesn't hurt. No, it's not even really all that uncomfortable. It's just...weird.

Dean sits up as soon as Cas takes his hand away and he looks at his arm. A red handprint, burned into his flesh stands out against the rest of his skin.

"What the hell is this?"

Cas looks sheepish and he looks up at the ceiling. "It was the only way to keep from killing you."

"What?" Dean isn't nearly convinced. If anything, he's become more alarmed.

"Usually...when to angels fall in love and then have sex, full sex, it leaves a mark. Mating, is the closest word I can think of. But, essentially, it's a mark...for you from me."

"To keep people away?" Again, an attempt at humour. But the serious expression on Cas' face makes Dean stop. "You're serious. Alright...so I'm yours. You didn't have to sear it into my skin…" He shakes his head and lies back down on Cas' chest. "I swear, alien culture is so weird."

"I'm an angel, not an alien." Cas shakes his head. "I'm surprised you're taking this so well."

"Well...I dunno. Maybe I won't like it tomorrow, but right now, I don't mind it so much." Dean smiles as Cas wraps his arms tight around him.

"Well, good. I hope you keep liking it. We should get going soon."

Dean can only nod, but he doesn't really feel like to going to dinner quite yet. Maybe later, rather than sooner. He runs his fingers through the silk feathers of Cas' wings as he thinks over the burn on his arm. Really, worse things could happen. And if this is a way of showing people that he belongs to Castiel, then fine. Why shouldn't it be okay?

When Cas starts to run his fingers through Dean's hair, Dean sits up and realises that it's about time to go. "So...you're basically like a TARDIS, right?"

"A fully functional one, yes." Cas smirks.

"Then...are we just going to get back like nothing happened?" Cas nods. "Where are we?"

"It's best if you don't know." Cas presses a kiss to Dean's forehead and sits up. He snaps his fingers and they're dressed again. "I learned that from Gabriel."

"That crazy son of a bitch..."

Cas raises his eyebrows and smiles. "We're having dinner with him."

"I know. I know." Dean sighs. "Alright, let's get it over with."

With a small, knowing smile, Cas presses a kiss to Dean's lips and brings them back home.

* * *

_A/N: Alright, everybody. I promised that I would post tonight! I'm almost 2:30 in the morning and so on and yes. HAPPY NEW YEAR! I know it's like 11 o'clock in London where a few of my readers are. Or it's almost 6 on the east coast of America. Why do we have so many time zones? Russia has more than us, I wonder how it must be for them. Do they have Eastern, Pacific, Central, and Midwestern times? Or is it different? How does it work in Russia? Likewise...Australia…? How does Australia work…? I think it's time that I stop. My first chapter of the new year, and it's weird._


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR! (I'm late!)_

* * *

And in what looks like a moment later they reappear, appearing much more sated than they had before.

The bell rings and Dean straightens his clothes to answer the door. As soon as he opens it, his arms are full of Gabriel. "Why, hello there." Gabe steps back to look over Dean's body. "Where...no, when the hell did you go? And...Sweet baby Jesus...you rabbits."

Cas shakes his head and stands to the side to let Balthazar in. He inhales deeply. "You two are not much better."

"It's different though, Cassie. Just think of the copious amounts of sex that Gabriel and I have had and then think about the sex that you have had with Dean. See anything different?" Balthazar smirks and toes his shoes off, pushing them to sit neatly against the wall. Conversely, Gabriel kicks his off, one shoe about two feet away from the other.

Both Dean and Cas shudder. "No, Balth...I don't want to think about sex between you and Gabriel. You are both my brothers and-"

"No. No sibling talk between the two of us. We aren't brothers. Only in the heavenly-metaphysical sense." Balthazar waves his hand as if to dismiss the topic entirely.

"Can we just get you two completely in here before we start having awkward conversations?" Dean glances around as if he thinks someone has heard them.

The doorbell rings again. With a wink, Cas squeezes Dean's arm and then goes to answer the door. A beautiful young woman walks in, and her eyes widen when she lays eyes on Dean.

"This is him? This is the guy you're dating?" She sounds so surprised. And as first impressions go, Dean likes her. She's lovely with fiery red hair and bright, innocent eyes. She's dressed nice, more cute than anything, really, with headphones wrapped around the back of her neck. Dean takes in her mid-thigh length red dress and dark lacy tights and white cardigan. She's adorable.

"Yep, this is Dean." Cas beams brightly when he realises that this girl is speaking words of approval. He moves to his human's side and nuzzles him gently. "Dean, this is Charlie."

Dean wraps his left arm around Cas' body, and extends his right hand to shake Charlie's. "Good to meet you. I get the feeling that Cas talks about me a lot."

"Oh, you have no idea." She giggles as though she knows some big secret, and as far as Dean can tell, she might know just about everything. _Everything_.

Suddenly, she blinks and looks around the room in surprise. "Cas…" She steps close to Castiel and whispers something in his ear.

Unexpectedly, Cas just laughs. "Yes, they are. And yes, Dean knows." Before Dean asks, Cas winks at him and then disappears into the kitchen.

Charlie takes this moment to invade Dean's airspace. "So...Dean...Cas says you know." Dean glances over at Gabriel and Balthazar who have chosen to sit as close as possible to each other on Dean's sofa.

Dean blinks and looks back over at Charlie. "Uhm…"

"Something about _Cas_." She prompts, looking over Dean's face.

"You're going to have to be a bit more specific, Charlie."

She narrows his eyes and looks his face over carefully. "About what he does…" Does doesn't know if Charlie knows that Cas is an angel and that if saying it is taboo...Or maybe she knows something that Dean doesn't know and if she tells him that would telling him a spoiler. "_Upstairs_." She glances up at the ceiling and raises her eyebrows at Dean for emphasis.

Dean wants to stay as vague as possible, and it seems that Charlie also wants to stay pretty vague. "About how he's kind of special…"

"Oh my God." Gabriel is standing right next to them, his expression exasperated. "Dean knows Cas is an angel, so stop. I'm an angel, Balthy's an angel. We're all angels except for you two."

Dean looks at Charlie in surprise. "How did you find out?"

"I'm kind of dating a fairy…" She shrugs. "It was a fairly interesting encounter...when he barged in on us…" Her face flushes and she looks down.

Gabriel bumps his eyebrows. "Sexy. I'd like to watch that some day. Will you let me?"

Charlie makes a disgusted face. "No. Not in a million years, you freak."

Dean blinks. This is going to be a long, long dinner…

"Come eat, everybody." Cas steps into the living room, large casserole filled with perfect slices of prime rib in his hands. "And watch out for the mistletoe." He winks and everything is laid out perfectly on a table.

"Look at you! Learning from your big brother!" Gabriel walks over and gives Cas a playful nudge. "You grew up so well, my little fledgling. I remember when you were in my care."

"Let's not talk about that." Castiel is suddenly serious as he sits down at gives Gabriel a hard stare.

Dean blinks. He's never seen Cas like this before. Kind of sexy, actually. The air gets a sort of icy chill to it and then Charlie just laughs, instantly breaking the ice.

"Sorry...I'm sorry…" She mutters between fits of giggles. "I know I'm not being appropriate...but what did he _do_ to you to earn _that_ reaction?"

"Knick all his smurfs?" Dean suggests and the two of them fall into hysterics. They take seats at the corner of the table, Charlie at the head, Dean next to Cas. Gabriel strategically places himself across from Dean.

Dean glances up at Cas' frown and starts laughing again. "Oh, man. I couldn't resist."

"This isn't funny, Dean. Teaching an angel how to fly is a very delicate practice."

Balthazar gets it and raises his eyebrows in amusement. His eyes slide over to Gabriel. "I kind of want to hear this story…" He pours himself a glass of scotch and takes tiny sips.

"No." Cas vetoes and serves Dean some prime rib and mashed potatoes.

Gabriel tells the story anyways. "Bro, you know I've never been very patient, and you were always so energetic…" He pauses to place a slice of chocolate cake on his plate, ignoring Cas' protests to both the story and dessert during dinner. "Alright. So...there are as many high places in Heaven as one can want there to be…"

Charlie can see where this is going and casts Cas a small apologetic look, who distracts himself by eating as quickly as he can.

"So...when Castiel was big enough...I kind of tossed him from a tree. Nothing big, like an oak tree." Gabriel shrugs and takes a bite of his cake. "Except it wasn't high enough for Cassie over here to actually start flying, so-"

"So he went somewhere higher." Cas finishes. Somewhere in the, Cas had finished off an entire glass of wine. And if awkward stories about his childhood are going to be told, he might as well join in. "Now imagine the height of the Space Needle."

"Hey! That's pretty accurate!" Gabe laughs and shoves the rest of his cake in his mouth.

Balthazar's expression changes from amused to grossed out in just a few seconds. "Oh...why am I with you?"

"Because when I'm not eating, I'm sexy as hell."

"Heaven." Cas corrects.

Dean places his hand on the back of Cas neck and twirls at the hair at his nape. "Did you fly?"

"Not that time." Cas welcomes the distraction of Dean's hand and frowns when he freezes. He glances up at his charge and notices the expression of horror. Before Cas can say anything to make it better, Gabriel laughs and throws an M&M at his head.

"Don't make it sound so horrible. At least I caught you!"

"I wouldn't call it a catch. More like breaking my fall."

"Alright, ladies. This was millenia ago." Charlie cuts in. As amusing as she finds this, she just really wants to compliment Cas on his amazing cooking.

"Oh, no. Way more years than that. About...a couple million now…" Gabriel looks up at the ceiling as he does the math. "Yeah, around there."

Cas stiffens. Dean blinks. Silence.

"Wow...you're aged." Dean looks over Cas' body. "I told you I didn't care about age." He lightly scratches at the back of his angel's head before he takes his hand back completely to eat properly. "I just didn't think you were so old. I mean...you are ancient…"

"Thank you for that boost of confidence, Dean." Cas stabs at his potatoes and shoves them in his mouth. "No pie for you."

Dean's face falls. "Ah, don't be like that, baby."

"Oh, so now I'm an infant? An ancient infant…" Cas pours himself another glass of wine. "Like this!" He shoves the bottle in Dean's face. "Look at how old it is. And it's just now being opened. Like a really old virgin having sex for the first time."

Silence fills the table and they stare at Cas for a moment. Balthazar nods slowly. "Okay, Cassie. Are you pregnant or something? I mean...we all know you're having sex with Dean, but-" He stops when he notices Cas' smug expression. "Oh, dear Heavens above."

"Can we do the normal thing...and just eat dinner?" Charlie mutters. Dean doesn't really hear her, but Balthazar's, Cas', and Gabriel's heads all perk up and they stare at her.

"No."

Dean looks up at the collectively spoken word. "No to what?" The conversation has taken a strange turn and, honestly, Dean doesn't know which direction it's headed. It could be going to Mars. Maybe the Ort Cloud. Why the hell not?

"Charlie wants us to eat like normal people." Gabriel fills in.

Dean can only laugh and when he glances at Charlie's petulant glare, he only laughs harder. "This is a dinner between three angels and two humans. Normal isn't gonna happen."

Charlie sighs and nods. "Yeah...I suppose not. So...I guess, a seemingly normal question would be how you and Cas met."

Nodding to himself and finishing off his bottle of wine, Cas smiles. "Alright, fair enough." He sets down his goblet and leans forward theatrically. "It all began long, long ago…"

Cas proceeds to tell his and Dean's nighttime adventures and Dean just leans back and listens to the soft, gravelly tones of his love's voice. Somewhere in the story, their hands find each other and intertwine.

And after that, dinner is pretty nice. With nice conversation as opposed to whatever the fuck had been happening earlier, but hey, Dean don't judge.

* * *

_A/N: Uhm...so...it's pretty late. And I worked a lot today. But here, my lovelies, is your next chapter. I'M SORRY, I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO BE POSTED! Also! I start up classes on Monday...I'll try to post as much as I can. I mean, I have a pretty rad break between classes to "study" and so on. So yeah, Monday. I'll try to post again on Wednesday. If not Wednesday, you are more than welcome to attack me with PMs demanding that I post or you can message me on tumblr. My url is just 'pyx' (quotes excluded). Love always, Ell_


	16. Chapter 16

_A/N: If you have never played Pictophone drunk, I highly suggest you do it. Unless you're a minor, then you shouldn't be drinking. No. You stop that. You stop your drinking underagedness right now and turn into an adult. Whether it's 20, 18, 21, 16, always, if you can see over the bar, or what have you. But don't drink until your laws say it's okay to. Also, special thank you to my lovely Demon, TheWolfAndTheRose99-2, iMissMysterious!, and Cas is my Clarence for all of their wonderful reviews. I love you and I write for you. -Pyxie xx_

* * *

Somehow, and against all odds, they got incredibly drunk. It hadn't been foreseen by any of them. In fact, it was all sorts of weird stuff that goin' on right now. All the weird things are happening right now. And more than that, they're sitting in a circle in the middle of Dean's living room. The sofa has been moved to the side of the room and all of them are silently scribbling on square pieces of white paper.

"Okay. Pass." Charlie calls. She ignores the yells of protests from the men in the room and forces her paper into Gabriel's hands. "Pass your damn papers. You bitches are all out of time." She giggles and takes Dean's drawing.

As soon as they see their new papers, they all laugh. "What the hell is this, Cas?" Dean is staring at his paper with a quizzical expression.

"Shhh…" Cas pats Dean's face without looking at him. "Just draw what you see, baby cakes."

More silences ensues and then they pass their papers one last time. "Alright. Who wants to go first?" Dean asks.

Gabriel throws his hand up. "Ooh! Pick me!"

Balthazar lies down on the floor and places his head in Gabriel's lap. "Then speak to us, your majesty."

"I started out with the word 'stalker'." A round of understanding 'ohs' went through the room.

At this point, it's relevant to mention that Charlie's girlfriend-fairy-girlfriend has made her appearance as well as Anna, an angel who's close friends with Cas and Gabriel. And Jo, Dean's friend who lives downstairs. So, quite the lively crowd.

Dean can't remember how everyone showed up. Just that there was pixie dust when Emmy appeared and Anna just popped up. And that Jo had a shit tonne of booze in her arms. Hence the inebriation of all of them.

Gabriel continues and turns the paper around to show the picture that Balthazar had drawn. A man's head as a background and a small girl beneath his grin. Detailed as it was, not quite what anybody had been expecting for 'stalker'. "Nice drawing, baby." Balthazar grins in response and holds up his glass in salute. "And then Anna said…" Gabriel scrutinises the perfect cursive letters. "Big Brother?"

"It's a literary reference." She shrugs and swallows down some more wine.

Jo laughs. "I totally didn't get that."

"And it shows. This, everybody, is Jo's picture." It's two crudely drawing of two ovals. The larger one has a D on it, the smaller one has an S. And both are wearing what look like striped banners around themselves.

"It's for Dean and Sam." Jo defends herself as the others around the room laugh harder at the picture.

"And so Dean wrote 'Bananas in Pajamas'!" It takes a moment for all of them to stop laughing. It's just so hysterical. Dean isn't one for blushing, but he just can't freaking help it. He cuddles up to Cas to cover his face.

None of them can speak for a moment because they're laughing so hard. It's just a little ridiculous. Whether it's the alcohol or if it's just legitimately funny, they won't know until morning. Until then, it's hilarious.

Gabriel's still laughing when he turns the page and looks at Cas' picture. Perfectly drawn bananas in perfectly drawn pyjamas. "That's so accurate." Cas is running his fingers through Dean's hair as they laugh together. It's starting to become just a little ridiculous.

Emmy hides her face and shakes her head when Gabriel gets to hers. Before he can say anything, he just starts laughing. Balthazar sits up and takes it from him. "Inmate Bananas."

Jo is ready to throw up she's laughing so hard. Her and Anna have tears in their eyes and Anna is waving for no more. And when Balth holds up Charlie's picture they all stop.

One banana is crying behind bars. In the next cell, a banana is tattooed with the word 'split' on peel and is lifting weights.

They all lose it so bad after that.

Oh the thought processes that went through that. 'Stalker' to badass prison bananas. And all of the sets are like that. Freaking ridiculous. Of course, when one fairy, four angels, and three humans get together, something crazy is bound to happen.

Suddenly, there's a light in the sky. Blaring through the open window. The apocalypse is nigh. Bad things are ready to happen.

Oh, wait. Nope. That's just the sun rising. And they're all still awake on Christmas eve. Happy and in love.

"Can we…" It's when they're all getting ready to leave that Emmy speaks up quietly and everyone turns to look at her. "Can we do this again?"

Dean grins. "That's would be pretty freaking awesome."

"Hells yeah." Gabriel chimes in.

"Wherever Gabe goes, I'll go." Balthazar wraps an arm around Gabriel's shoulders and pulls him close.

Gabe leans into the touch before breaking away and tackling Cas in a hug. "It's been good seeing you Cassie. I've missed you like you wouldn't believe." He pats his little brother on the back before turning to Dean and giving him the same enthusiasm in a hug. "You've done good things for him, Dean. And for that, you're a decent, okay person dude or whatevs."

Balthazar gives them brief hugs and small good-bye when it's his turn and they both vanish together.

Emmy and Charlie both hug Dean and Cas before disappearing into a cloud of pixie dust. Anna does something similar, minus the dust.

Jo stares at the spectacle for a moment. "How drunk am I that that just happened?"

Dean and Cas share a look. They had forgotten to tell Jo just who she has been in the company with for the last several hours. "It's a long story. Come by for lunch and I'll explain it all."

She glares at Dean for as long as she can before a yawn interrupts her and she's nodding and walking towards the door. "You better not forget, you asshole."

"You better remember to come up here for lunch." Dean counters. They wave and she heads downstairs.

Dean looks around his living room. At the disaster they've created. At the remnants of fun that they've left behind. And a warm feeling swells in him.

"You know…" Dean finds his voice first. Cas turns to him. "You've done wonders for me too…"

"In what way?"

"I'm not lonely anymore." Dean holds onto Cas' hand and pulls him into the kitchen.

"And you've opened up to yourself."

"And to you."

Cas smiles. A full blown smile that spreads across his face and to his eyes. "I know." A comfortable quiet. "I love you."

"I know."

"Whatever, Leia."

Dean pouts. "Why am I the chick?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Cas raises his eyebrows and looks over Dean's face as the realisation dawns on him.

"You shut your whore mouth."

"That's new." Cas kisses Dean's hand. "You're a freaking weirdo."

"I sure am." Dean rubs his belly. "I'm gonna start clea-" There's a snap and everything is perfect again. "Right…"

"Now tell me you love me, you little shit." Cas gives Dean a glare.

"I love you, fuck face."

Cas shakes his head and 'tsks' Dean. "Nicely."

"I love you, Angel."

"I love you too, Human."

* * *

_A/N: This is the last chapter. I'm so sorry that it's ending this way. I just figured that since I'm starting classes now and won't have much time to write...I should just stop it and end it here. And like the Reichenbach, this is a trick. Did I have you going for a bit? How could I possibly think of ending it this way? Sam and Jess haven't even moved up to Seattle yet. It'd just be mean if I ended it this way. But yes, this is a short chapter only because I needed to tie you all off with something cute before I really delve into school and work and work study. Yep! That's right 18 credits and two jobs. Wish me luck. (And the Pictophone game that they were playing earlier is a true story. That happened to me.) I love all of you! -Pyxie xx_


	17. Chapter 17

_A/N: This is the last chapter regarding the holidays. It's only because I was late that I'm still writing about this stuff. I know, I'm sorry, lovelies. Okay. And to my Demon, I'm sorry about my last author's note. Of course I'll keep writing 3 And to Cas is my Clarence and 4doorChevy a big thank you for reviewing! Now! Onwards, I say! -Pyxie_

* * *

At 12:59 in the afternoodn on Tuesday, 31 December 2013, Cas appears in Dean's living room. Dean barely has time to get to his feet when Cas grabs him by the hand and they promptly vanish.

Dean wheels on Cas and is prepared to say something angry when a cheer arises from around them and then explosions begin the sky.

"Happy New Year, Dean!" And suddenly, Dean can't find it in himself to be angry anymore, because holy hell, they're in the Red Light District in freaking Amsterdam. He blinks and is momentarily taken away by the fact that while his body and mind say 2013, his surroundings say 2014.

Dean squeezes Cas' hand and smiles. 2014 in a foreign country. "Happy New Year, baby."

Cas grins and pulls Dean in for a small kiss. "One of ten."

Before Dean can ask what that means, he's being dragged through the crowd towards wherever they're going. This is the first time since Barcelona that has brought him to a major city across the world. And they're going to have fun; Dean can feel it deep in the warmth of his soul.

Cas stops abruptly and turns to look at his charge with a serious expression. "I didn't interrupt you doing anything, right? Nope, never mind. I know I didn't." And like that they're moving again. A pub, they enter and three shots they drink. The alcohol, mixed with with the adrenaline of being somewhere else, makes Dean feel a little better than he should be feeling right now. Cas slaps an unknown number of Euros on the table and then pulls Dean in for a heated kiss.

The world spins, the ground drops from under his feet. But he presses all the closer to Cas as a cold breeze rushes through him and around him. There's more cheering and Dean pulls away to look around. A totally different city, totally different people.

"Happy new year!" Cas yells just as everyone else around him does. He kisses Dean again. "Two of ten!"

"What does that mean?" All effects of the shots that they had taken in Amsterdam are now gone and his body revels in the feelings of sobriety. He glances around and freezes. Because holy shit, that's Big Ben. And that's the Thames River. And up the river there's the London Eye. And eurphoria engulfs Dean. Sherlock Holmes has run through these streets and who doesn't love Benadryl Cucumber. Bengazi Cabbagepatch is the best actor to walk the streets and he's standing on the same streets as him. Cas drags Dean towards the river and they stand there and look over water and at the explosions in the sky.

"It means, my dear, sweet human, that we're jumping time zones until we get to Seattle and bam! Kisses each new city, Dean. But none in between. But first." Cas hugs Dean close and they zap to another part of London. Westminster, actually. And on Baker St.

Dean pulls away when he recognises the street and he freezes. "Holy mothers of bacon…"

Cas tilts his head to the side and narrows his eyes. Never will he understand all of the phrases that Dean has used in his company. No reason to try to understand; he knows Dean's feelings and most of his thoughts, but what comes out of his mouth isn't the best representation of what happens in that head of his.

Dean turns to Cas and pulls him in a tight hug. "You're the freaking best. I would kiss you if I could."

"You can in…" Cas counts internally. "Now." They kiss and the world drops from Dean's feet again.

And suddenly...it's warm. Like...really really warm. And silent. In confusion, Dean opens his eyes and looks over Cas' shoulder. The moon light reflects in the ocean. And it's absolutely beautiful.

"Uhm...where are we?"

Cas sighs. "How many major cities do you know of in the mid-Atlantic Ocean?" Dean doesn't respond. "Well...I found an island in this time zone. It was either here or the Arctic and I figured that you would like me more if I brought you here."

"You were right." Dean brushes his nose across Cas' neck. "Does that mean that we can have kinky sand sex?"

Cas looks out at the ocean and the beach and contemplates. Then, slowly, he nods.

* * *

An hour later, they're on an island just off the coast of Brazil, celebrating with the locals and drinking spiked horchata. Both of them have sand in rather uncomfortable places, but it's momentarily forgotten as they enjoy the scenery.

"It's still December in Seattle, Dean." Cas looks wonderful in the light of sparklers as he dances and sings some hipster-sounding song about drinking horchatas in December. Then he just stops singing and looks at Dean seriously. "Four of ten." He kisses him slowly, gently and then pulls away as if nothing happened.

Dean shakes himself out of his trance and just watches as Cas dances and sings like a lunatic.

And just like that, they're gone again. And kissing.

"Five of ten." It's loud. It's really really loud and Dean can barely hear anything but cheering. But suddenly, all he can hear is Castiel. The world fades around him. Visually, it's still just as vivid and striking, bu now it's quiet like Cas has wrapped him in-

"Are we…?" Dean extends a hand upwards and feels something electrically warm brush against his fingers. Cas shivers at the small contact, and looks at Dean with thost bright blue eyes.

"Wings. Nifty, aren't they?"

Dean looks around. He can still see everything and everyone and the fireworks and the sparklers and it's beautiful. And he can't hear anything.

"Understatement of the Year."

"It's only just begun." Cas kisses Dean's forehead and they walk up and down the boulevard of downtown Buenos Aires, enjoying just watching people celebrating around them.

Halifax, Canada is next. Mostly just hockey and doughnuts. Six.

Next they're in New York for the ball drop. Which earns a plethora of dirty jokes. Coutesy of Dean. Seven.

After that, Chicago. Standing in the Magnificent Mile while fireworks go off at Navy Pier. Eight.

Somehow, and against all odds, Dean isn't tired at all. Maybe it's the adrenaline of travel. Or maybe it's the excitement of nearly ten new years in the course of a day. Either way, it's exciting and he isn't tired.

Denver, Colorado. For whatever reason, they're decided to slide down a ski slope on a sled. Had both of them just been mere humans during this assanine conquest, one, or both, of them would not have made it out alive. Nine.

They reach the bottom of the hill just as the clock is rounding midnight in Seattle. They stand and wipe the snow off of themselves. It occurs to Dean that he should be freaking freezing. But he isn't. He's really warm…

"Wings." Cas murmurs and slowly he brings their lips together and brings them to downtown Seattle. South Lake Union to see the fireworks from Gas Works Park. It's magnificent, but neither of them are watching. They're both much too invested in exploring each other's mouths and learning each and every crevice and taste on and behind their lips.

"Happy New Year, Cas." Dean barely pulls a breadth away before crushing their lips together again.

Cas only makes a noise of affirmation in the back of his throat that Dean barely catches. And then they're back home. Moving to the bedroom. Stripping, teasing, kissing, licking, laughing.

If this is how 2014 begins, how could it possibly be a bad year?

* * *

_A/N: Okay. I'm sorry I skipped over cities...I just feared that it would get boring. And how could I not bring them to Amsterdam? Originally, it was supposed to just start in London. But, pfft, I never listen to myself. I love all of you! 2014 will be good. At least, that's what both Tumblr and my horoscope say. Yep. If you want me to elaborate on any of the cities that they stop in, lemme know and I'll do actual research. Because I have no idea what people in Buenos Aires do for New Years._


End file.
